Miraculous Jedi 3- Darkness Rising
by dragonbreath88
Summary: One-shots of the characters from Miraculous Ladybug and The New Trilogy. Not my best work. Requested by Ryry-24. Enjoy! (rating might change)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Ben Solo, Part 1

Ten-year-old Ben Solo practically bounced in his seat with excited anticipation as his Uncle, the Grand Jedi Master Luke Skywalker landed the ship in the Parisian spaceport. The young boy saw everyone in the port pause and gawk at the shuttle that transported the two Jedi. It was old, dating way back to the Clone Wars era, but according to the records, many Jedi travelled far distances in these. The people down below continued to gawk until Ben spotted a small group walking towards the ship, lead by what looked like an old woman. The group wore the traditional robes that marked them as Jedi, though they looked far more traditional than the newer type of robes worn.

"Remember, don't speak until you're spoken to," His Uncle Luke's voice broke through his excited, yet nervous thoughts. "Madame Moraes is a very traditional woman."

"What is she like?" Ben asked, his voice barely more than a breath of air. Luke took a moment to think. The young Solo remembered his uncle telling his mother and father about the lone Jedi Master on a planet deep in the Outer Rim, on the far outskirts of the Unexplored Region. Though since it announced itself as a neutral planet, his uncle still saw it apart of the New Galactic Republic.

"Madame Moraes is very traditional as I said before." Luke said as the two of them exited the craft. "I met her after your mother managed to stabilize the New Republic Senate. But other than that, I don't really know much about her. I know that her brother was killed in the attack on the first Death Star and her master, her brother and she fought in the Clone Wars."

Ben hesitated before asked, "Do you think she knew Grandfather?"

His Uncle shrugged. The raven-haired young boy sighed as he prepared the pack he had prepared for the journey. Neither his uncle nor his mother knew much about their father, seeing as how they were separated at birth. But Ben overheard stories from the older members of the Rebellion that his Grandfather was a ruthless, bloodthirsty man. Hopefully, though, this Madame Moraes would have stories about him. She was around when the Clone Wars, after all.

"Come on, Ben." His uncle ordered. Ben slung the pack over his shoulders and followed his Uncle to the back of the shuttle. As the ramp lowered, sights and smells of the spaceport met the young man's nostrils and ears. Different people of all different species mingled around the port. Though many people stopped and stared at them, Luke and Ben headed straight for the group of supposed Jedi waiting for them. The woman who wore traditional robes led the group. As the two Jedi approached the group, the woman with deep brown eyes and hair streaked with grey smiled slightly at Luke. Ben swallowed when he noticed the two saber hilts on the woman's belt. The power that radiated off her was nothing like the power that came from his Uncle, but it was still a power that frightened Ben.

"Welcome back to Paris, Master Skywalker." The woman greeted as she bowed. Her entourage did the same, almost in sync with her. When she straightened, the woman smiled warmly at the young boy, who stared at her timidly through his thick eyelashes. "Well, who do we have here?"

Luke placed a hand on his shoulder. Ben's back straightened and he looked her dead in the eye, answering with pride, "I am Ben Solo, Padawan of Luke Skywalker. It is an honor to meet you, Madame Moraes."

"The honor is all mine, Young Solo." The grey-and-brown haired woman greeted with a growing smile. Behind the woman, there was an older teen with blue-black hair and startling green eyes. She was scowling at the woman who was smiling at the two visiting Jedi. "This is my Padawan, Adeline. She will be your guide throughout your visit, Young Solo. If you need anything, just find her."

"It's an honor, Padawan Adaline."

"Same," She said with a cocked eyebrow.

"Master Skywalker, why don't you stay the night? After all, it is a long journey back."

Luke chuckled. "No thank you, Madame Moraes. I have to be back at the temple soon enough. Have a good time, Ben. I will see you in a week's time."

"Goodbye Uncle." Ben bid as his legendary uncle reentered the shuttle and took off. Ben watched the shuttle take off sadly.

"Don't worry." Adeline assured him. "You'll have a great time here. Maybe even learn to relax a little."

"I didn't come here for fun." Ben stated. He had a pouty face as he watched the ship disappear into the atmosphere. The boy didn't know why his mother and father agreed for this week-long excursion to this planet. Of course, his Uncle wanted him to learn from one of the few Jedi Masters still alive, one that was much more skilled than he was in terms of training Padawans and Younglings. So, here he was.

"Come, Padawans." Madame Moraes ordered. She strolled lightly towards a parked speeder near the entrance of the port. He and Adaline started to follow, though Ben did so a lot more hesitantly. This woman walked as if she was on air, effortlessly climbing into the waiting speeder. Though he was in a sour mood, Ben took the time to take in the city. It was almost like a primitive, mini Coruscant. Speeders and strange wheeled-vehicle mingled along the road. The buildings, while not as tall as those on the former Capital of the Republic, were still big and a huge golden spire reached up to the sky. Underneath the golden tower, there was a monument of sorts, with two flags flapping in the wind. The flag on top was red white and blue stripes, while the one underneath it was the flag of the Republic. Each were flapping in the gently breeze.

Adeline nudged the young boy gaping at the Battle of Paris monument. He seemed to stare at everything, as if he was memorizing it. The young girl couldn't help but feel jealous of the boy that sat beside her. He had grown up in a place where advance technology was used frequently, many species of aliens lived and mingled and actually got to live and practice in a genuine Jedi Temple.

True, the city of Paris, and ultimately the rest of the planet, had advanced technology, but it was by their standards. And most of the technology was found in hidden Jedi Temples all over the world, which meant it was really old. And, even though Earth attracted many different species of aliens, most of them were refugees, fleeing the oppression of the Empire. After word reached them that the Emperor had been destroyed, most of them returned home, leaving Paris with its predominant species of humans.

The young Padawan was happy for those that managed to get home. But, against her Master's instructions, she wished for adventure. Madame Moraes had grown up during a war, and when she came to Earth with her master, she was chosen as the Holder of the Peacock Miraculous. In her teenage years, Madeline Moraes had experienced more adventure and excitement than Adeline could ever wish for.

"You must live one exciting life." Adeline commented. Startled by the sudden break in the distraction, it took a while for Ben to answer.

"Uh, yeah I guess."

Adeline scowled. Apparently, this boy isn't much of a talker. "What's it like to be an apprentice to _the_ Luke Skywalker?"

"Okay. I guess." Ben blinked when the girl's scowl deepened. Thankfully, before she could ask another question, the speeder stopped in front of a large, traditional-styled building that was squished in-between two modern looking ones.

"We have arrived." Madame Moraes announced needlessly. She elegantly climbed out of the speeder, as did the other two, though did less gracefully as the Grand Master. While Ben was busy gathering his stuff, an acolyte rushed up to group. He whispered something into Madame Moraes's ear, which caused her to furrow her brow.

"Don't worry," she assured him with a hand on his shoulder. "I will take care of it. Tell Mayor Bourgeois that I will be there forthwith."

The acolyte bowed before taking off towards the city center. Ben was thoroughly confused, noting Adeline's worried expression. "What's going on, Master?"

Madame Moraes sighed heavily. "There has been another assassination attempt on Mayor Bourgeois."

"What? Is she okay?"

"Yes. Her guards were able fight off the attacker, but she has requested my presence." Madame Moraes sighed as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. "These attacks are very troubling."

Ben and Adeline glanced at each other. The last sentence probably wasn't supposed to be heard by the two. The two apprentices waited there for a moment, while it appeared that the Grand Master was deep in thought. Suddenly, she shook her head, probably dispersing the darkening thoughts.

"Adeline." The young Padawan snapped her spine at her Master's voice. "Take Young Solo to his rooms. I will be back as soon as I can."

"Yes Master." The dark-haired girl bowed before gesturing for Ben to follow her. Ben watched the Grand Master hop back onto the speeder before speeding off into the distance. With one more look at the tall tower, he followed his fellow apprentice into the temple.

The rest of the day was spent unpacking his things. Most of the things he brought with him were clothes but there were a few keepsakes from home. He placed a couple of datapads on the desk, most of them music or books that he had downloaded. Ben pulled out a toy speeder and a hand carved Bantha figurine from the bottom of his bag. The young boy smiled fondly. The handmade Bantha toy was a gift from his father when he was accepted into the New Jedi Order. It was one of the few objects that reminded him of his father, who was always running errands for his mother, who was also busy with running the New Republic and the militia. Both of his parents being absent made Ben fell like he had to work his hardest to get them to notice him.

He placed the toys on the shelf that sat above his bunk with a sigh. There was nothing to do, as Adaline was currently busy with training, so Ben just flopped on his bed. Space travel always made him feel drained and cranky. Adeline promised to send word when Madame Moraes arrived back at the temple. But so far, she hadn't. So, Ben would try to get some sleep.

 _Ben…._

His eyes snapped open. Ben scanned the room, only to be met with darkness. Strange. He could've sworn that he heard someone whisper his name. Eventually, he dismissed it as him just being tired. He laid down and closed his eyes again, his breathing leveling out as he entered the world of dreams.

 _Ben…._

He stirred in his sleep as he felt something stroke his cheek, but he didn't wake. The room warmed to a comfortable temperature, an air of peacefulness surrounding the young boy.

 _BEN!_

The young boy sat up in his bed. He was sure he heard someone. There was presence in his room. It wasn't a malicious presence, but not taking any precautions, called his saber to him and ignited it. The sapphire blue light lit up the dark room. Much to the young Solo's surprise, he couldn't see anyone in his room. He could still feel the presence. It moved, leaving the room and coming back, almost in a pull-and-pushing motion. Shutting his weapon off, Ben hesitantly chose to follow the presence.

The trek was long. The presence led him down deep into the temple. Ben glanced around, taking in the intricate mural work that was painted on the wall. Scenes from the Jedi's history were shown, leaving the boy breathless at the colorful, yet faded pieces of history that he was a part of. But as he went further down, the bloodier the murals got.

 _Probably to show the more primitive time in the Jedi's History,_ Ben thought as he examined the image of a shining temple, much like the one he was in. But this was more beautiful, more elegant. He made to stroke the image but was suddenly stopped when, from his peripheral, he saw a light start to glow. A ball of light suddenly appeared, giving him light to continue down.

Ben continued to follow the light deeper and deeper. He started to worry about finding his way back when suddenly the worry was quelled, replaced by a sense of peace. It was strange, since the sense of peace came almost as soon as worry appeared. Ben followed the light until he came to a door. Staring up, he examined the door with interest. It was a large wooden door, with gold painting down the middle. As soon as Ben caught up with the light, it vanished, leaving him in darkness. So, to compensate for the lack of light, the raven-haired boy pulled out his saber and ignited it.

Examining the door, Ben wondered what was inside. Was it a vast amount of treasure? Or immeasurable amount of knowledge? What about a superweapon, from the time when the Sith and Jedi quarreled with each other, but never got used?

All of these questions and speculations ran through his mind, building his curiosity until he couldn't contain it. Darn the consequences. He had to see what was in there.

So, for several minutes (or hours, it was hard to tell in the darkness) Ben attempted to the get the door opened. He braced himself against the door and pushed with all his might. When that didn't work, the young boy searched around for a seal or a lock of some sort. Instead, he found a key hole of some sort. It was the only type that Jedi could open. Ben closed his eyes in concentration, drawing up on the well of power that dwelled with in and without him. He manipulated the Force as his Uncle had shown him and twisted the lock. The lock twisted but, to the boy's dismay, the door didn't open.

His anger grew far beyond his normal limits. The cavern shook with power but, again the door didn't budge. Mentally and physically tired, Ben dropped to the floor. He placed his head against the wall, his eyes dropping as peacefulness and quietness of the cavern embraced him.

An unknown amount of time passed before Ben Solo woke up back in his room. The boy was very confused at how he managed to return to his room. His saber was over where he left, on his desk the night before. He wasn't sure if he only had a vision, or he actually did go down to a secret cavern underneath the Parisian Temple, but whatever he did, it would have to wait. His chromometer was telling him that it was six o'clock in the morning. Time for breakfast and morning meditation.

Ben quickly showered and dressed in his robes before leaving his room. He followed the steady flow of other Padawans to the cafeteria, where the smell of cooking food was emanating. Ben halted in amazement as he took in the open-air eating area. Humans of different areas of the planet all sat together in different groups, chatting and happily joking with each other. The apprentice of Luke Skywalker couldn't help but gawk at the sight of all the Jedi before him, like a mighty sun made up of many different pulsing orbs. It was a stark difference to the Temple from which was almost empty, aside from him and several others. His Uncle was trying to return the Order to what it was before the darkness of the Empire snuffed it out. But so far, only ten Padawans made up the New Jedi Order.

But on here on Earth, it was like the Old Jedi Order hadn't even been destroyed. It was amazing.

"BEN!" A voice calling his name over the din of the dining hall brought him out of his musing. The young boy scanned the room and saw Adeline waving at him over. Ben moved through the crowds that choked the dining hall. He greeted Adeline as he sat down, nothing how the others were watching him closely. "So, how'd you sleep last night?"  
"Okay, I guess." Ben answered as he ate the tray Adeline managed saved him. The food was delicious! One of the people watching him closely, an ebony-skinned girl with powder grey robes, scoffed, pulling out a piece of colorful paper, handing it to Adeline. The blue-eyed girl was practically beaming as she stuffed the paper into a pocket. "What was that about?"

Adeline looked properly embarrassed as she explained, "I bet Eurielle five francs that you would only say three words. And you did."

"Oui." The dark-skinned girl agreed. Ben blinked at the accent, recognizing it as it something similar to the Twi'leks. It was very mind-blowing. The young girl snapped her eyes over to the young boys. "I will forever hold this against you."

"Sorry." Ben apologized as he shoved a forkful of goop into his mouth. The dark-skinned girl chuckled at the blush that creeped on Ben's face.

"Don't worry. I'm just teasing." Eurielle assured. She and the rest of the table was plunged into silence. Then, "So, where are you from?"

"Chandrila." The young boy answered. He glanced up and saw a lot of confused faces. But as he was opening his mouth to explain, when suddenly someone placed a hand on his shoulder. He turned and saw a tired-looking Madame Moraes.

"Good morning, Young Solo." She greeted. "When you are finished with breakfast, meet me in the training room."

"Yes, Madame." The boy answered before she left. It was only after she left, did Ben realize that the dining hall was completely silent and everyone was staring at him. A moment later, and everyone returned to eating their breakfasts. "That was weird."

"Yeah." Adeline agreed slowly. She was looking at him with a wary gaze, one that made him very uncomfortable.

Ben quickly finished his breakfast before standing and making his way towards the training room. With the directions from Adeline, Ben found the room, where Madame Moraes sparring with another young apprentice, this one a young boy with golden hair and sapphire blue eyes. Ben watched the two with interest, taking note of the footwork and stances. The boy looked no older than most younglings but he was as skilled as any Knight he's ever seen. Finally, while the two were huffing and puffing, drenched in sweat, Madame Moraes stood straight and bowed to her opponent. The boy did the same, though his was considerably deeper.

"You have done well Gabriel." The grey-haired woman informed the boy. Though he tried to hide it, the young boy smiled lightly at the praise. "I believe if a couple more months of training, you will be able to move up in rank sooner than expected."

"Thank you, Grand Master." The boy thanked before turning to leave. When he left, Madame Moraes turned to him. Ben suddenly felt intimidated by the fifty-something-year-old. Her muscles and lithe form were on display as she wore a tight-fitting outfit. Her greying-hair, which was still predominately coffee-brown. The Grand Master clutched a wooden staff in her fingerless-gloved hands, looking like a warrior even though sweat glittered on her tanned skin.

"You are right on time, Young Solo." Madame Moraes commented. She gestured to the mediation pillows in the center of the room. "Come. Mediate with me."

Ben hesitantly sat down one of the pillows. Madame Moraes did the same, adjacent to him. She took a deep breath, and Ben did the same. He closed his eyes and quieted his mind, allowing himself to listen to the Force. It happened almost instantaneously. The boy felt it flow through him, like a river flowing through an outlet or a tributary. But this felt powerful. Instead of a trickle like he usually felt, this felt like a gush. It left him breathless.

"Uh, Master?" He whispered. When he received no answer, he hesitantly cracked his eyes open. What he saw, shocked him. He couldn't even describe it. The training room had disappeared, leaving them in an area that seemed like the center of a space dust cloud. Stars shone clear and bright, much brighter than they ever would if he was on a planet's surface. Madame Moraes was in front of him in a meditative state, though it wasn't anything he's ever seen before. Her body was surrounded in a white light, her hair sticking up, moving in a phantom breeze. What shocked him the most was her eyes were open, but they were two brilliant orbs. Ben stared at her for a moment longer, watching as the scene around them changed. It darkened as scenes appeared.

 _A young girl and boy with coffee brown eyes were sitting on a bench while a peaceful, rolling green park spread out before them. The boy was munching on some sort of pastry while the girl was looking down sadly. The boy glanced over at the young girl and smiled._

" _Penny for your thoughts." The boy said with a smir. THe girl just glared daggers at the boy but it was a playful glare. She said something that was muffled but the reply wasn't_

" _Of course, I do." He answered clearly. "But you have to remember, Master Turon does this to protect us."_

The two figures were swept away by a phantom breeze. Ben's heart was thundering in his chest as he heard more voices. He glanced around, trying to find them. This time it was the same brunette girl but this time she was talking to a raven-haired boy.

" _My name is Madeline by the way," the girl greeted. The boy smiled._

" _Cole Branusz." The boy answered._

Again, the scene shifted

 _The boy towering over a figure in skin-tight blue outfit, her eyes covered with a mask. She lay unmoving, her eyes closed. "How pathetic! Now I can finally rid the galaxy of your stench, Jedi!"_

" _NO!" Someone shouted. The crowd that was gathered, turned to see a hooded figure fly through the air. He landed and blocked the dark-red saber that was meant to decapitate the unmoving figure._

 _The crowd erupted in chaos._

Ben's heart was pounding and his head aching. What was going on? These scenes seemed to be connected to one person, who looked like the Grand Master. They all seemed to come at random. But yet…. Ben perked up, standing as he listened and watched. His feet seemingly walked an endless scape as words and voices continued.

" _Michael has said that the Eiffel Tower had fallen. That and the entire city had been decimated, but there are still more attacks to come, each worse than the last."_

The voices were of the predominately of this Madeline, a girl whom had some relation to Madame Moraes. Ben waited a little while before another noise was heard. This was of muffled talking, an argument before the sound of a lightsaber being ignited and sailing through the air. A voice shouting 'NOOOOOOOOO!' echoed through the landscape. The young boy suddenly felt a great sadness pierce through him. Tears were brought to his eyes for some reason as he staggered. Then, everything went quiet. The only thing that he could hear was his own breathing.

Then a burst of light forced him to close his eyes. When he opened them and blinked the spots out of his eyes, Ben felt his heart jump out his chest. There was a woman with mint hair and pale skin looking at him with intensity. She pointed inwards, but as Ben stared at it, he noticed how there was an outline of the large door that he visited last night.

Open the Door, the woman spoke, but didn't open her mouth. Find- 

Ben scowled. The woman seemed to cut herself off. She jerked her head towards the distance.

"Find what?" Ben demanded as the woman turned and started to walk away. "What am I supposed to find? Tell me!"

But the woman vanished. Ben took a step to follow but suddenly found himself flung back into his own body. He gasped, his heart going a million miles an hour as he tried to wrap his mind around what he saw. Madame Moraes opened her eyes at his gasp. For a moment, all Ben could do was sit there, sweating, unsure of what was going on. His mind was pounding at the imagery that he saw.

"Young Solo?" He vaguely heard Madame Moraes ask.

The boy felt a touch on his shoulder before his vision faded to black. He awoke with someone placing a cool cloth on top of his forehead. Ben glanced around and saw Madame Moraes in a meditative position.

"Master?" His throat was as dry as the sands of Tatooine. Madame Moraes' eyes opened, those coffee brown eyes glinting with worry. But also curiosity and…. was that pride and fear?

"What did you see in your vision?" She asked.

The question caught the boy off-guard but he answered. "I saw images of a girl. I can't exactly describe what I saw, but-"

"What else?" Madame Moraes interjected.

Ben thought back to the last vision he had. "It…..it was of a woman with green hair. She pointed to a door, which looked like the one beneath the temple." The boy gasp as he covered his mouth, realizing that he ratted himself out.

But Madame Moraes didn't seem to care as she was deep in thought. She sighed. "I will meet you in the training room at precisely dawn tomorrow. Then we will figure this thing out."

"Yes Master." The boy said as the Grand Master walked out. He glanced at his chronometer, wincing when he saw that almost six in the evening. And he was absolutely exhausted. He laid down and allowed exhaustion to take over.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Ben Solo, Part 2

As instructed, Ben met Madame Moraes in the training room at dawn. While the rest of the temple's inhabitants were just starting to wake up and meet each other for breakfast. But Ben was tiredly munching on a ration bar as he waited for the Grand Master. He wasn't a morning person, much unlike his mother and uncle. The two of them would get up at the crack of dawn, probably the leftover habit from running the Rebellion and fighting a war. His father wasn't a morning person, but at least he would get up before noon like him.

Around eight was when the Grand Master shown up. She looked as tired as he probably did. Ben snapped to attention, unsure of what to do. The Grand Master just examined him with her eyes before jerking her head, gesturing for him to follow her. He did so, strangely reluctant and hesitant to do so. The two passed many Jedi on their way to breakfast, most of who bowed deeply to Madame Moraes when they passed. But the greying Jedi didn't bow back. Instead, she kept her eyes forward and hurriedly made her way down the stairs that led deeper and deeper into the temple.

Lights lined the walls of the stairs, giving them light as they travelled downward in a continuous spiral. Right as they reached the bottom of the stairs, Madame Moraes pulled an ancient torch from a scone on the wall and lit it. It was then, she started to speak.

"When I was seventeen, the Empire was just starting to tighten its grip on the galaxy." She said. Ben heard about the Galactic Empire, how cruel the self-proclaimed emperor was. "My Master, brother and I lived in relative peace until the Empire came. The wrought destruction, devastation and death among the city of Paris. It wasn't until after the invasion, when I was made Grand Master of the Parisian Order, that I discovered there was much more to this temple than meets the eye."

"What do you mean?"

Madame Moraes gave a short huff. "The very temple sits on top of a nexus point in the Force. The temple acts like a river bed. It shapes the power that flows through it, keeps it tamed but there are a few places in the temple that cannot keep the Force tamed."

"I...I can feel it." Ben stated, suddenly feeling something flow through and out of him, like a wave.

The Grand Master nodded, not looking back as she continued, "Despite what was taught for a millennium that there are two sides of the Force, the dark and the light, that is not true. There is only one Force. It is a person's own ambition that creates them. However, the creation of these sides goes back farther than records can go."

She stopped suddenly, and it was that Ben noticed that they had arrived at the door.

"How do you suppose we open the door?" Madame Moraes asked as she stood by and watched the young boy examine the door. His eyes flickered over to the Jedi-lock, remembering that it didn't work the last time he tried it. Then, an idea came to him. The greying Jedi master watched him closely as he walked back a couple of steps, close his eyes, take a deep breath and thrust his hands out. He groaned as he started to separate his hands, which in turn caused the doors to separate. There was a cracking sound as the door started to open, dust raining down on the two Jedi. Madame Moraes felt her heart twist in slight fear at the raw power of the young boy in front of her.

But she shoved that fear down as the boy finally opened the door. Ben groaned as he dropped to the floor in exhaustion. When he managed to catch his breath, the young boy felt a dry breeze coming from the darkened room in front of him. As well as powerful surge of energy coming from it. And if he focused, he could hear whispering coming from the room.

"What are you waiting for, Young Solo?" Ben turned around and looked at the Grand Master, who was sitting in a meditative position.

"Aren't you coming, Master?"

"I haven't been summoned, you have. So, I can't follow you. This is something you alone must do."

Ben sighed as he examined the dark room in front of him. His heart was pounding as he took a step inward. And another, and another and another. Until he supposed he was in very center of the room. It was dark, as the door had closed as soon as he cleared the threshold, so the young boy walked by feeling. He glanced around, unable to see anything other than inky blackness. All around him, voices wailed his name.

 _ **Ben. Ben. Ben. Ben. Ben. Ben**_ , they chanted.

His heart was thundering in his chest with anxiety. There was a breeze that blew by, followed by a red-tinted mist. Inside the mist, Ben Solo saw orbs of light, swirling around. Voices echoed throughout the cavern as the mist continued to swirl around him, engulfing his feet and the entire floor.

 _We are the ones that guard the power. We are the middle, the beginning and the end_ *. A regal female voice said.

 _The Jedi and the Sith wield the Ashla and the Bogan, the light and the dark. I'm the one in the middle, the Bendu*._ Another voice, this one almost a deep baritone, echoed.

 _KNOW YOURSELF!_ An angry voice shouted. _KNOW WHAT YOU WILL BECOME!_

Ben felt his head suddenly explode with pain. The red mist exploded upwards, engulfing him. But instead of completely surrounding him, the young boy was in something similar to the eye of a hurricane. He glanced up at the sounds of a lightsaber igniting. There were screams that echoed through the cavern, and a deep, static-y voice saying something that Ben couldn't ascertain. His heart thundered in his chest as he quickly ran out of the room, while the images were still going on.

Madame Moraes was meditating just outside the door but jumped when Ben barreled out of the room. She managed to grab the boy by the shoulders but had to dig in her heels to keep him from dragging her away from the room. Ben was still frightened by what he saw in there. From what he heard in there. He didn't realize that Madame Moraes was trying to get his attention until he felt himself fall to the ground.

"Young Solo! Talk to me, that's an order!" The Grand Master ordered. Ben blinked as finally the room came into focus and his breathing leveled out. "How many fingers am I holding up?"  
Again the boy blinked, focusing on the number of fingers the human female was holding in front of his face. His brain struggled to remember how to count but eventually he answered, "Four."

Madame Moraes breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. I was afraid to tell your mother that I scared into a coma." She gave a dry chuckle before asking, "What happened in there?"

"So much darkness…" Ben muttered as he curled in on himself. "I….I'll turn to the dark side…..and….."

"Shhhh." Madame Moraes placed a hand on his shoulder but he engulfed her in a hug. Ben felt her tense for a moment before returning it. She rubbed soothing circles on his back as he sobbed silently into her shoulder. Finally, after what seemed like hours, Madame Moraes pulled away. Ben looked up into her coffee-brown eyes for a moment before looking down. "I think it's time you learned about true balance. Come on, let's go."

The two stood and slowly made their way towards what Ben assumed was the meditation room. But the place was empty. Ben gawked at the large ceiling that seemed to stretch on forever. Images of long forgotten people and battles were painted on there. On the floor, a large symbol was engraved. The symbol was a large circle, half of it was black and half was white. Though looking closer, it appeared that there was a smaller circle of white on the black side and black on the white side. Madame Moraes noticed him examining the circle with interest.

"The Yin and Yang." She said, startling the boy. "The Dark and the Light."

"It's interesting."

"Indeed." Madame Moraes gestured to the two pillows in the middle of the room. Ben sat down cross legged on one, while Madame Moraes lit the candles that lined the room one by one. Ben's eyes followed her as she did this slowly, with an almost reverent attitude. When she was finished, the Grand Master slid to the floor almost gracefully before starting to speak.

"Contrary to the belief of the Jedi Order prior to the Purge, balanced is not achieved only through the Light Side, nor is it achieved through the raw emotions of the Dark Side."

Ben blinked. "I'm confused."

Madame Moraes contemplated for a moment. "Think of the Dark and Light Side of the Force as the sun and the moon. With too much sun, you could incarnate yourself, or your crops could shrivel up. But with too much moon, your crops won't be able to grow and you could wither away. There must be an equal amount of sun _and_ moon for your crops to be successful. Therefore, an equal amount of Dark Side and Light Side is what you must achieve."

"But Uncle Luke said even if you achieve balance, there's always going to be this threat of falling to the Dark Side."

"That is true. But you must not give in." Madame Moraes sighed. "The Grand Master that oversaw the Jedi Temple when I was growing up used to say that cowards are those who turn to the Dark Side. They chose the easy route, to kill and to manipulate in order to achieve power. Close your eyes, Young Solo. Relax and concentrate."

Ben did as he was told. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The young boy allowed the (apparently) scented candles surround him as he entered a meditative state. In the back of his mind, he could hear Madame Moraes speaking.

 _"Good. Now, envision yourself in your mind's eye walking."_

And he did. He was staring up at the endless black void that was his mind. It was really strange but he kept himself focused.

 _"See yourself walking along the empty space. As you are walking, you see two colors, split down the middle. One is a bright color, like the color of the summer sun. The other a deep crimson, like the color of blood."_

As he continued, Ben could see the colors. A brilliant golden color, and a dark red color. Each side seemed to pull at him. The golden side gently tugged at him, like a child would when timidly asking for something. The dark red side, on the other hand, was much more forceful. Ben had brace himself as the dark red side hissed at him, promising power that was better than anything else.

 _"Continue walking. Now, see the space stretched out before you, the dark and the light side forever separated. Instead of leaning too far to the left or right, imagine you are walking on a thin piece of wire."_

Beneath his feet, there was something that glinted in the strange mixed light. Ben wobbled when he realized that solid ground had disappeared and he was walking on a thin piece of wire, like Madame Moraes said. He wobbled again, so instead of continuing, the young boy stopped. He took a deep breath, centered himself before continuing. The tug from either side wasn't as bad as before as he kept walking. Finally, Madame Moraes ordered him to open his eyes. The proud smile on the Master's face made pride swell in his chest like no other.

If only his mother and father looked at him like that.

"Do these exercises every day for a few hours. Then, you will be able to fight back the pull of the Dark Side."

"This has been very insightful. Thank you Master." Ben bowed as deeply as he could, in order to express his gratefulness for this.

"You are welcome, Young Solo. Any time you need to talk, I am here for you. Now, run along. I will see you tomorrow at training."

Ben beamed as he dashed out of the room. He took a stroll throughout the temple, examining all he could. The architect was amazing. The young boy was nearing the dining hall when he ran into Adeline. She was talking excitedly to an older looking girl, with blonde hair and very startling green eyes. The unknown girl looked to be in her mid-twenties, wearing robes that marked her as a Jedi Knight. Most of the Jedi around here, Ben noticed, wore clothes that marked their rank and status. Along with the traditional braid, Padawans wore something like a tight sash along with their robes. Knights wore a shawl or cape, depending on the gender, and masters didn't have anything. It was an interesting concept.

"Hey Benny." Adeline greeted with a smile. "How did the meeting with Madame Moraes go?"

"Good actually. And it's Ben."

"I know, silly." Adeline chuckled. "I'm joking around. Speaking of names, Ben Skywalker Solo, this is my older sister, Estelle Selma Agreste."

"Pleasure to meet you." Ben bowed.

"A scion of the Skywalker bloodline. Always a pleasure to meet someone as powerful as you."

"Estelle is visiting from the American Temples." Adeline explained.

"And I came just in time it seems." Estelle explained. "Madame Moraes is putting together a small team of Padawans and Knights to accompany you back to the Jedi Temple. Something about expanding the horizons of those here."

"It's gonna be amazing! Master Moraes already got the permission of our parents and they said yes! I'm stoked!"

"I guess." Ben muttered as the three of them started to walk towards the dining hall. "So, you guys are coming back with me?"

"Oh yeah." Estelle answered. "Personally, this will make an excellent entry paper."

"Entry paper?"

"I'm trying to get into college. Yale or Harvard, though I haven't decided which one quite yet. Although, if I write my paper on my experiences at the New Jedi Temple on Yavin IV **(AN: I think that's where it is)** then I'll be offered a pretty high scholarship to both. American colleges will jump at the chance to have a Jedi attend their schools."

"Why?"

Estelle just chuckled. "Why what? If you're asking why the colleges would practically go to war over one student, it's because the Jedi are renowned, especially in America. Apparently, they helped build their nation. Pretty cool huh?"

Ben just shrugged. Frankly, it was just weird. "What do you wish to see when you come with us?"  
"Coruscant." Adeline answered immediately.

"Same." Estelle agreed.

"Why? Coruscant is nothing but corruption central."

"I want to see the old Jedi Temple." Estelle answered. "That's where Madame Moraes grew up and where my grandmother and namesake sat on the ruling council."

"I'm afraid that won't be possible. The temple was destroyed while rooting out the last of the Empire."

"AW!" Adeline whined. She huffed as she started to stomp away. The dark-haired girl left, leaving only Estelle and Ben. The older Agreste just chuckled before sighing.

"So, I'm on my way to see my parents. Wanna come with?"  
"I don't want to intrude." Ben muttered.

"Oh, don't worry. They'll really want to meet you."

After another moment of hesitation, the young boy smiled and agreed. The two of them left the Temple. Estelle gave a wave to one of the temple guards hidden behind a pillar before she walked over to a speeder. Ben straddled the speeder, clinging onto the older girl's back before it took off, speeding off towards an unknown destination. They drove by the large tower and monument.

"What's that?" Ben asked over the roar of the air. Estelle turned her head a little bit to see what the young boy hanging on to her was pointing at. When they were stopped at a traffic light, she answered.

"That's the New Eiffel Tower and Battle of Paris Monument. It was the first thing built when they were rebuilding Paris."

"There was a battle in Paris?"

"Yep." Estelle answered as the light turned green. The blonde went a little slower so Ben could hear her as she explained, "According to the records, an Inquisitor came here because her apprentice went missing on a mission. I think Madame Moraes said it was a year or so after she, her brother and my grandmother arrived on earth. The monument is to commemorate those who lost their lives in the attack. Which includes my grandmother, whom I'm named after."

"Wow." Ben breathed.

"Yeah. Besides the temple, it's a sacred place."

The rest of the ride was silent, other than the hum of the speeder's engine. Fifteen minutes later, the duo parked themselves out of a very modest apartment.

"This place is usually empty as my parents don't live in Paris anymore. But they live here whenever they're in town."

Ben craned his neck, squinting his eyes as he examined the symbol on the door. It looked like a circle that had spots on the inside. The circle was red, and the spots were black. Next to it, there was what looked like a paw which was green and black.

"The home of Ladybug and Chat Noir. Well, at least the former anyway." Ben looked at her with a quirked eyebrow. "I'll explain later."

Estelle approached the door and gave it three knocks. Ben and Estelle waited patiently before the door opened to reveal an older looking woman with blue hair streaked with grey. The woman's bluebell eyes lit up with excitement when they landed on the blonde woman in front of him.

"Estelle! Oh, it's so good to see you!" the woman exclaimed, throwing herself on the blonde young woman in a hug. "What are you doing here? I thought you were in Washington, DC."

"I just arrived in town." Estelle informed, breaking from the hug. "Ben, this is my mom, the former Ladybug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Agreste. Mom, this is the Ben Solo. He's the nephew of Luke Skywalker."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, young man. Why don't you two come in? I was just sitting down to have some tea."

Ben and Estelle walked inside. While the mother and the daughter spoke with each other, the young boy glanced around. Like the outside, the inside was very modest. It was nice after all the extremely fancy places that Ben has lived in. The young Solo continued to follow the two women as they led them into the kitchen, where an older man, whom the young boy figured was Estelle's father, was sitting at the table. He was reading a newspaper but glanced up when he heard them walk in. Estelle was so identical to the man that it threw Ben for a loop for a second. If the Kaminoans hadn't shut their facilities and Estelle said that she hadn't been beyond her own system, then the young boy would've believed that these two were clones.

There was a pull that tugged at Ben's soul. It was a rather strong pull that had the young boy being mentally scratching his head. The pull was something that the young boy only encountered with his Uncle, who was the son of the most powerful Jedi to ever live. Ben Solo wondered if this man was a scion of the Skywalker bloodline, or maybe a subbranch of the Skywalker Family Tree.

"So, Ben," Estelle's father drew him out of his thoughts. "Where are you from?"

"Chandrila, sir." Ben answered. Estelle's mother chuckled.

"You don't have to be so formal, young man." She said while placing a steaming pot on the table. "Every time we come to Paris, we have all these fans who treat us like we're heroes."

"But I thought you were heroes. You have a monument on the other side of the city." Ben said.

"We weren't heroes." Estelle's father stated. Mrs. Agreste nodded in agreement. "We were just ordinary kids chosen to protect our city. From the evils of my father."

Ben felt his heart pang in sympathy. He was connected to someone that was cloaked in evil. Anakin Skywalker, his grandfather who was also known as Darth Vader. His grandfather's legacy as an evil monster who only knew darkness. Uncle Luke always made sure Ben knew that his grandfather was redeemed in the end…...but the raw power in Anakin Skywalker continued to seem tempting, even despite Madame Moraes's lesson about balance. His parents would pay attention to him, they would listen. And his Uncle…. His uncle wouldn't be so fearful of his power.

"But anyway, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself?"

Ben spent an hour with the Agreste family, listening and telling tales. He told them of the time that he and his uncle got trapped in a pit with a bunch of Loth kittens and had imprinted on them. It had taken a week to free themselves of the Loth kittens. Estelle and her parents chuckled with delight and amusement before Mr. Agreste dove into a story about them setting up a dance at their school, when one of the students developed a paint bomb that went off prematurely. Everyone was covered in paint and it took forever to clean it up. The young boy was practically rolling on the ground, laughing so hard he was crying. Mrs. Agreste described how Madame Moraes's brother and Master was covered from head to toe in paint.

"Wait! Madame Moraes has a brother?"

The question had the mood plummeting once more. "His name was Michael. He fought in the Battle of Yavin IV, unfortunately he never made it out. Madeline had a memorial for him. She was devastated."

"And her master?"

"Perished in the Battle of Paris." Mr. Agreste answered sadly. There a pause that had Ben drumming his fingers on the table. The pause was broken however, when his chronometer went off. He winced, not even realizing the time. It was almost curfew and Madame Moraes were something of a stickler for rules.

"I hate to cut and run but…."

"I understand." Mrs. Agreste assured. Ben stood and bowed to the two older adults. He noticed that Mr. Agreste had a troubled expression on his face. The young boy just shook it off before waving goodbye and leaving. The young Solo used the speeder, and pushing metal to the petal, barely made it back before the final check. While sliding into bed, he froze, feeling a sense of darkness creep over him.

"Who's there!" the boy demanded.

 _I have been watching you for a long time, young Solo,_ a voice informed him. Ben shivered at the darkness, the cruelity in the voice. And the way he used Madame Moraes's nickname….it sickened him to his stomach. _I can sense your power, your need to be something greater than an ordinary Jedi. I can offer you both. Including your family's respect._

Ben felt him wobble off that imaginary tightrope towards the Dark Side. That did sound tempting. He would get the respect, recognition and appreciation from his mother and father. People wouldn't think of him as just a kid. They would finally learn to fear his power. Almost as soon as those thoughts crossed his mind, Ben mentally straightened himself on the tightrope. He would not be weak. He would not fall down the path of cowardice. And, almost as soon as he hardened his resolve, the voice did too. The dark feeling faded, leaving him alone.

 _You will continue to tempted by the Dark Side._ Madame Moraes's voice echoed throughout his mind. _There is nothing you can do to stop the temptation. But you must always be prepared._

"I promise that I will always be ready to face the challenges."

Ben laid down and fell asleep. But it wasn't a peaceful one. Instead, it was one full of nightmares and echoed screams.

 **AN: The quotes are from the following episodes**

 _ **Star Wars the Clone Wars: Overlords-**_ **The Daughter**

 _ **Star Wars Rebels: Steps into Shadow-**_ **Bendu**

 _ **Star Wars the Clone Wars:**_ _ **Ghost of Mortis-**_ **The Son**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Madeline Moraes, part 1

The Temple was eerily quiet.

It was strange how alive it became during the day, but at night, only the echoes of the lone guard patrolling the temple was the only sound. But, for Madeline Moraes, it was a time when she could be her old self. She could take off the mantel of leadership of the most prosperous Jedi Temple on Earth, place the title of Grand Master somewhere else and just be Madeline Moraes.

Madeline enjoyed being a Grand Master. But she never could've imagined the energy it took in running an entire Jedi branch. She was only fifty-six and already her hair was turning grey. The woman only had a couple strands of coffee-brown hair remaining. In all her life, Madeline would never have imagined her being the one to restore the Jedi Order on Earth. If you would've told her younger, more happy-go-lucky self that she would be a Grand Master who brought one the rebirth of the Jedi Order, she would've laughed and asked if you were on Death sticks.

As time went on, Madeline learned just how funny Fate could be. She learned different things about herself that she never knew she knew. Of course, it helped that the Ancients that held domain over this temple left behind some interesting teaching lessons. Such as the balance of the Light and Dark Side of the Force. It was an interesting concept that the woman had made the center lesson at the Temples throughout the world. She took the past mistakes of the Jedi Order to heart, figuring that the reason they had such trouble keeping the balance was because of their own hypocrisy. So, keeping that in mind, Madeline made sure all the temples taught that the balance was not the absence of darkness but a presence of both.

Her mind wondered to the boy that was currently staying with her on the account of his Uncle, Luke Skywalker. Madeline sighed as she slowly sipped the tea, a troubled expression on her face. Ben was strong in the Force, much like his Uncle and Grandfather. But much powerful. He had the potential to become his grandfather, only much more dangerous. Earlier that day, when Madeline took the boy to the Room of Prophecy, something in the Force had stirred. It more darkness than she had ever felt in her life. She had tried meditating, listening closely to what the Force was trying to say. It became all jumbled as visions from the Great Purge swept through her mind's eye. Screams of the murdered, dead and dying echoed within her very soul.

Then, Ben came running out of the room, looking like he had seen a ghost.

Madeline had to struggle to get him to calm down. When he went out for the day, many Padawans, Knights and Younglings had come to her, complaining about strange feelings. When she asked for a description of the feeling, all of them had agreed that it was like a snake, cold and scaly, was slithering all around them, tightening its grip on them. Because this place sat on a Nexus, the energies are amplified drastically. And all of the Padawans, Younglings and Knights had just described a feeling of amplified darkness.

The Grand Master placed the cup of tea on the wooden tray that sat in front of her. She took a deep breath as she clutched the cloth of her dress. There was a presence that entered the room, but Madeline wasn't frightened. The presence was a calming one, one that had been with her every step of the way in her journey to become the most famous Grand Master Earth ever had. She smiled as the stress practically melted off her, being replaced by a calm and collected feeling that had her shoulders dropping in relaxation.

"It's good to see you again, My Lady." She greeted to the glowing figure behind her. "I haven't seen you in a while."

 _"You have done quite well, Madame Moraes."_ The Daughter congratulated. _"It is such a difficult task rebuilding an Order from the ground up with a new type of teaching."_

"I had you to guide me. Maybe not physically, but spiritually." Madeline turned her body and poured an extra cup of tea for the Force Spirit. Only to realize that she didn't drink. But to her surprise, The Daughter picked up the cup by the handle delicately and sipped it daintily. The Force Deity glanced up and saw the greying brunette give her a questioning and confused expression.

 _"I am returning to the Natural Cycle of the Force. Thanks to you, some balance has been returned, balancing out the evil done by my brother. Soon enough, I shall begin a new and better life."_

Madeline smiled a little wider. She even righted the unbalance caused by the former Grand Emperor. Fate was indeed a silly thing.

"Do you have anything important to tell me that I could do to continue this change?" Madeline asked.

All of the sudden, the atmosphere changed. The Daughter gained a dark expression on her face and her bright aura darkened. _"Ben Solo, the young boy that you allowed into the Room of Prophecy. He is a danger to the balance of the Force."_

"What do you mean?"

 _"Think of the Force like this cup. If dropped,"_ Madeline watched the Daughter let go of the china. The grey-haired woman winced when it landed on the floor, shattering into several pieces. _"It shatters. The cup was delicate much like the Force. If not taken care of, the Force can easily be thrown back into unbalance."_

"And what about Ben Solo?"

 _"The Scion of the Skywalker bloodline must_ not _fall to the Dark Side. If he does, the Force will get thrown out of balance once again. An unbalance that could take years to fix."_

"So, what you're saying is to make sure that Ben Solo doesn't fall to the Dark Side." Madeline summarized.

 _"Essentially."_

"Well, you could've just said that." Madeline muttered. A little louder she said, "I'll do my best. But the decision to remain on the path of righteousness is Ben's choice, and his alone. The Force will take its course in due time."

The Daughter chuckled. _"You have gotten the mysterious master speak down."_

"It took a while to perfect it." Madeline agreed. "Thank you informing me of the danger the boy possesses. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to contact the boy's master."

 _"Of course, Madame Moraes. May the Force be with you."_

The Daughter bowed her head as she vanished from the visible plan. Madeline used the Force to bring over her com. It landed on the amplifier, and almost immediately the symbol of the Old Jedi Order appeared as it tried to reach Master Skywalker. While it was loading, the woman returned to thinking about how much had changed. Chloe Bourgeois, the current mayor of Paris, was in her last term of service. However, she had been targeted by the EARTHLINGS, a terrorist organization that didn't approve of the Jedi being on Earth. Chloe had grown in maturity and into the leadership role flawlessly, although when Madeline visited her after the attempt on her life yesterday, it was clear that the EARTHLINGS wanted her out of office. Madeline suggested that she head somewhere safe before the elections.

After the latest attack on the Mayor, Madeline had beefed up security around the Temple, ordering the guards to not let anyone in unless they had identification. She also announced a curfew on the temple, with a specific order that no one would be allowed entry to the temple once the gates close at ten-thirty pm. Madeline knew that her orders were going to cause some outrage by some of the Knights and Masters but she did it to protect the Temple. The EARTHLINGS maybe smart, but that was a far cry from being sane. They would attack the Jedi Temple of Paris, even if the odds of them surviving such an assault were slim to none. Madeline would not stand for such an attack on such a sacred place.

The pinging of the communicator brought the greying master out of her thought. A moment later, the supposed Chosen One appeared.

"Master Skywalker." Madeline said in her way of greeting.

 _"Madame Moraes."_ The man greeted in the same way. _"Do what do I owe this talk? Has my nephew caused trouble already?"_

"No." Madeline answered honestly. "Young Solo is an excellent student, even besting me in some areas. However…."

 _"What?" _

"I took him to the Room of Prophecy, hoping that he would be able to find some sense of peace, as there is a conflict within him. Unfortunately, that just made it worse. Whatever he saw in there, it wasn't good."

 _"He didn't tell you?"_

"I have made it an unspoken rule that whatever happened in the Room of Prophecy, it stays with the person it happened to. I don't want anything seen inside that room to be misinterpreted, as that is exactly what happened with the old Order during the Clone Wars. But I think I have an idea on what happened."

 _"Oh, do tell. " _Luke Skywalker ordered, in a perfect impression of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

"Well, most of the younglings and Padawans had reported a feeling of darkness for several hours." Madeline informed the younger man. She started to ramble off theories. "Since this Temple sits on top of a nexus point, and the Room of Prophecy is the very center point of the nexus, I have a theory that Young Solo saw something dark in his future, and his fear spread throughout the Force. I fear that, as of today, he will be targeted by those who will seek to corrupt him."

 _"You maybe right. Ben is a powerful Jedi, even more powerful than I was at that age."_

"With every generation, the power of the Skywalker bloodline will grow." Madeline theorized. It was a possibility. But she only encountered such things in the records of the Jedi Temple here, stopping when the Jedi started to forbid attachments. It was a theory that many Jedi had at the time, which, along with the emotions attachments could stir, was probably the reason they 'outlawed' attachments. "You must keep a close eye on your nephew."

 _"Yes, I agree. " _Even from across the galaxy, Madeline could sense the fear and anxiety radiating off the man in front of her.

"You must also not allow fear to cloud your judgment." Luke Skywalker looked up, surprised by her order. "I can sense your fear, even from across the galaxy. Such an emotion is dangerous, as it will make you do things that you would never do."

 _" I faced down the Emperor himself. One of the most powerful Siths in history. I am not afraid."_

"While it was easy not to fear the Emperor, because you knew he would fall eventually, it will not be easy to not fear your nephew."

Skywalker gave her a confused expression. _"What?"_

Madeline sighed, thinking about a way to simplify her rather confusing sentence. "Ben Solo has the capacity to become an excellent Jedi, or a powerful Sith. We must make sure that we do not push him down the path of darkness."

 _"What happened to 'We must let Fate take it's course' speech?" _

"While I do agree that messing with one's destiny is something I would not recommend, especially when that destiny is not our own to mess with, I fear that Young Solo will not be strong enough to fight the coming battle for his soul."

 _"I don't take too kindly with you calling my nephew weak. But I agree. While strong in the Force he is, Ben has a lot to learn about how to keep the call of the Dark Side at bay."_

"I will handle some of the training, Master Skywalker." Madeline informed him. "But, I will leave it to you to make sure that whatever I teach him stays with him."

 _" Very well."_Skywalker nodded his head. _"Thank you for letting me know. May the Force be with you."_

Madeline bowed her head as she severed the communications. She was about to stand and head towards her own quarters when a scream pierced Temple. Slight fear that maybe the EARTHLINGS entered the temple and was attacking a Padawan or youngling, Madeline grabbed her saber and bolted through the hallway, several temple guards following her.

"STAY IN YOUR ROOMS!" Madeline shouted as several knights, younglings and Padawans poked their head out of their room. However, after Madeline's order, most of them reentered their rooms. The screaming was coming from the section of the temple reserved only for Padawans and Younglings. The Grand Master and the Temple Guards managed to get to the room where the screaming was coming from in great time, using the Force to speed things along. Madeline halted suddenly, sliding a couple of inches as she was going faster than thought possible. She stopped in front of Adeline's door, where the screaming was coming from. It was a bloodcurdling sound that chilled the greying master's blood. She gestured to the Temple Guards to remain on the outside while she opened the door.

Madeline had her saber ready, just in case. But she didn't see anything amiss, except for the twisting and screaming girl on the bed. Placing her saber on the desk, Madeline quickly moved to sooth the young girl. Careful of the flailing limbs, the Grand Master engulfed the young girl in a hug. Her screams turned into sobs as Adeline melted into Madeline's embrace.

"shhh, it's going to be okay." Madeline soothed. "It was only a dream." Her eyes turned to the temple guards. "You can return to your posts. I have everything under control."

"As you wish, Grand Master," the lead temple guard said, bowing. He turned to the others, ordering them to return to their original posting.

"Master….?" Adeline's sobbing became a scratchy voice full of fear.

"What is it, young one?"

"It was so horrible." Adeline muttered, snuggling up closer to the greying master. "I saw death and grief everywhere. The Dark Side….it consumed everything. The love, the happiness, the hope of the galaxy, the Dark Side destroyed it all."

"It was only a dream, Adeline." Madeline assured the young girl. Adeline shook her head as she stood up. The Jedi Master watched the young girl closely as she paced, clearly agitated.

"It was a vision. I'm sure of it."

"What else did you see, Adeline?"

The dark-haired girl started to fiddle with the hem of her pajamas. Rarely did Adeline allow her emotions to show, so Madeline listened closely. "It was like the massacre you told us about. On Coruscant. But…..there was such destruction. I could feel that fear from the victims, the betrayal." Adeline paused before looking at Madeline with such fear in those familiar blue eyes. "Master, someone's going to betray the Order."

Madeline stood, facing the door. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was leveled as she connected herself with the Force. Even after giving up the Peacock Miraculous when she became the Grand Master, the greying brunette still had a stronger connection to the Force. And when she transformed with both the Ladybug and Cat Miraculous on, it was almost like she became a Force Being. It helped her figure out how to create balance between the two sides of the Force.

Now, she just needed to listen. The Force always was trying to tell her something. Unfortunately, at the moment, all she could sense was darkness that suddenly overtook the Temple.

"Master?" Adeline's tentative voice cut through Madeline's disturbance.

"I'll meditate on it." Madeline's gaze slide towards the half-packed suitcase, which was probably for her trip to Yavin IV. She felt a sense of pain and sadness shoot through her before she exited the room. The Temple had returned to being quiet. Madeline passed several chronometers that told her that it was approaching midnight. She swiftly walked through the hallway, passing her room without another thought. Instead, she headed down deeper into the temple. Pretty soon, Madeline entered a well-known (at least, to her) section of the Temple. The one that connected to the Parisian Catacombs.

Hidden within the depths of the Temple, was a burial site. While it was tradition to cremate the body of a fallen Jedi, this place was only for the Grand Masters. Madeline wasn't sure why the Jedi of the past decided to bury the Grand Masters, but it made a fine place for Madeline to think. It also gave her some closure, as Master Selma was buried here. She was a little upset when the circumstances of her brother's death reached her. There was no body to put in the underground mausoleums, so a little memorial which included pictures and flowers was placed up against Selma's stone coffin.

Madeline placed the torch she was carrying in a stone brazier that was placed over Selma's coffin. The greying master stared down at the face of her master, carved to look like she was sleeping. She sighed as she gently stroked the face. The master had lied to Adrien's face when she told him that his mother's body was burned. But before Madame Aurelie Cammi became one with the Force, the Twi'lek ghost told the woman that the Hall of Remembrance was only for the current Grand Master, as it was a sacred place for him or her to gain wisdom that could only be handed down to her. The Twi'lek ghost had allowed Master Selma to be buried her due to special circumstances.

"Master, please help me. I don't know what to do." A weight on her left shoulder had her tensing, before sighing shakily. She kept her head bowed, afraid of looking at the spirit of her dead master. Madeline had always thought that Selma had become one with the Force. Not that she was against it. Far from it. Selma Agreste had a crazy life.

She was born a clone, created for an unknown Sith (when Chancellor Palpatine had been exposed as a Sith Lord, Madeline held firm to her belief that he was her master's creator), looked down upon her whole life because of the circumstances of her birth, and led a secret double life here on earth as a wife and mother. It would make sense that the scarred master would want to join the Force, so she could finally have that peace she never had in life.

" _You have done well for yourself, my dear apprentice."_

"That's because I had you as a teacher Master." Madeline stated as a whisper.

There was a chuckle. _"Believe me, my dear, this was all you. Your skills, which were well beyond mine, have helped you massively."_

Finally, Madeline turned around, tears falling down her face. She smiled at the figure in front of her. Though tinted blue, Selma's face was exactly as she remembered it the last time she saw it. Her wrinkled and scarred face, her brilliant, toxic green eyes that shone in the low light, and her silver and gold hair tied up in a twisted, tight bun. Madeline thought the last time she would see that face was during the small service she held with only Madame Cammie and HK in attendance.

Now, after all these years, Madeline finally was able to see her surrogate mother again.

"But you gave me those skills, Master."

" _Indeed."_ Selma's face became serious _. "You only come here if something is bothering you."_

"You're still observant." Madeline also became serious. "One of the pupils that I am training has shown a strong sensitivity in the Force, which would give him a susceptibility to the Dark Side of the Force."

" _I see."_ She muttered.

"I didn't know the extent of his power until I took him to the Room of Prophecy. The entire Temple is cloaked in darkness. And my apprentice had a nightmare about a massacre, like the one we survived but much more brutal."

" _This is troubling."_ The ghost of Selma agreed, muttering as she stroked her chin. _"Have you spoken with the Chosen One?"_

"Yes. And we both agreed to train him and help the young boy resist the Dark Side, but….."

" _You don't know if that is the best course of action."_ Selma finished.

"I don't think it is." Madeline sighed. "There is something about that path that doesn't seem right. I fear that no matter what I do, I fear that Ben Solo is already lost."

Selma sighed in sadness. _"I'm afraid that I must agree with your sentiment. All I can advise you to do is to be prepared for the road ahead."_

"Thank you Master." The greying Master said bowing her head.

" _Of course. I will be here if you need me."_ Selma reminded the woman gently before she vanished. Madeline yawned and made her way to her room, figuring a couple hours of sleep was better than none. She fell asleep into a sleep that was riddled with nightmares from her past.

Including the incident at the Spring dance. 

-Line break-

The rest of the week had passed by quickly for Madeline. During that time, she kept a closer eye on Young Solo, both with her eyes and with the Force. There was a residual of the Dark Side around him that made her worried. Already, he was being targeted by those stronger than him in the darkness of the Force.

When the week was up, Madeline was saying farewell to those who were returning the Yavin IV temple. She was just making sure that Estelle was all set, as well as the rest of the few that were going. Estelle's green eyes scanned the crowd, landing on her little brother before rescanning the crowd. The Grand Master placed a comforting hand on the twenty-year-old Knight's shoulder. The action prompted a loud, heavy sigh from the girl.

"I wish Adeline was coming." She whispered.

Madeline furrowed her brow. Adeline was so scared by her dream a few days prior, that she refused to go on the trip, even if it was her life long dream to travel the stars. So, she made up an excuse that she wasn't feeling well, and she didn't want to spread the disease all over the galaxy. Even though Madeline knew that the young girl was faking, the Grand Master allowed her to stay, knowing full well that she couldn't force Adeline to do something the girl didn't want to.

"I believe that it is wise to not spread whatever my apprentice has to the stars, especially since they might not have the resources to combat it." Madeline hummed.

Estelle opened her mouth to say something but was cut off when the sounds of an engine cut her off. Both Jedi glanced up to see a transport ship landing in the designated space port. Once it was landed and the space locks were clicked, Master Skywalker exited the ship. Ben ran up to his uncle and Master, bowing before hugging the man. The Chosen One's eyes drifted to Madeline and the group of Knights and Padawans that stood behind her, all of them straightening. Madeline had to hide a smirk at the group feeling of awe and shock.

"I see we are one Padawan short." Luke noticed. The Grand Master's smirk vanished. "Are we waiting for one?"

"No. I'm afraid that my apprentice isn't feeling good. So, I decided to keep her here just in case it might be contagious."

"I see." Luke muttered. "Very well. Okay, everyone let's get going. We have a long trip."

Madeline gave Estelle a small smile which the young woman returned before she and the rest of the group boarded. The Grand Master watched the ship ascend with great sadness deep in her heart and soul. 

-Line break-

Madeline jerked awake, her heart pounding in her chest and her forehead covered in sweat. Her eyes turned towards the corner of her room, where the ghost of Selma was waiting. The feeling of dread grew when Madeline took in the sad, devastated expression worn on the spirit's face.

Throwing off the covers, the greying master flew down the hallway in her pajamas, hoping that the feeling was a false one. Madeline ran all the way to the holonews room, where news from the New Republic was being received. She ran all the way there, not stopping for anything. Her heart was pounding in her chest hard as she skidded to a stop in front of the door. The Grand Master used the Force to open the door. Unfortunately, she didn't realize how great her fear was and the door flew off its hinges.

Madeline had tears falling down her face as she quickly pulled up the broadcast news. It had been five years since the Grand Master had sent her apprentices to the Yavin IV temple, so she monitored the transmissions from Master Skywalker. Hopefully, nothing was wrong.

However, the news she received when she opened up the broadcast had her hope sinking.

 _"Grand Master Madeline Moraes, this is General Leia Organa. I regret to inform you that my son has attacked the Jedi Temple and killed the members. I'm unsure how many really died in the blaze, though I know for a fact that your apprentices perished. My brother has not been answering my transmissions and seemed to have vanished. I know that there is nothing I do or say can bring your students back. Expect their bodies in several weeks."_

When the transmission was over, Madeline sunk to the floor. Sobs started to wrack her body, as the news fully hit her. Estelle, Eurielle, Gabriele….they're all dead! Now, she would have to break the news to the city and the families of those who were lost.

This day just couldn't get any worse.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Poe Dameron

The Resistance pilot, Poe Dameron, sighed as he checked and double checked to make sure that they were heading in the right direction. They were. The man rubbed his head tiredly as he leaned back in his chair. The resistance was on its last leg, as most of the ships were destroyed and they were basically on the run. The First Order had destroyed most of the Resistance's fleet, with the only ship left being the Millennium Falcon. General Organa managed to find a secret base that the Resistance could use before Poe, Finn, Rey and Rose left to find the only remaining Jedi left in the galaxy.

A Jedi Grand Master named Madame Moraes.

General Organa said that she might help, but that was a very big maybe. According to the former princess of Alderaan, Moraes was a veteran of the Clone Wars and a very strict Grand Master. Leia hadn't heard anything from the woman since the news of the massacre on Yavin IV. Which was why the General of the Resistance had sent her best pilot out to find her. The General and the higher-ups had assumed she was dead, but Leia wasn't giving up hope.

"How much longer, Poe?" Finn asked. The dark-haired pilot turned to his droid, BB-8, who beeped a reply as he connected with the ship's mainframe. It took a little bit, but he managed to give Poe an estimate.

"Surprisingly, not that much longer. We should be there in a couple of hours."

"I feel like I've been cooped up in here for days." Rey groaned. Beside her, Rose Tico, a maintenance worker for the Resistance, giggled a little bit.

"We have," She stated, pointing at the chronometer on the wall. "We've been pushing it really hard, in order to reach Earth."

"It's a good thing we used the Hyperspace lanes and smugglers' routes. Otherwise, it would take forever to get here." Poe commented. Silence returned to the Millennium Falcon as Poe all but pushed the throttle down harder when the ship's navicomputer signaled that they had entered the Milky Way Galaxy. The only sounds were BB-8's occasionally beeping, and the ship's engines until Finn spoke.

"So, what's the plan?"

"Well, I was thinking we kind of wing it this time around." Poe heard Rey answer. He cocked an eyebrow.

"Oh? And, uh, pray tell, why?"

"Think about it." The scavenger proposed. "No matter what we plan, we always end up improvising anyway. Besides, we don't want to go rush into things, with guns a-blazing. Master Skywalker said that Madame Moraes is very protective of her city, and if there is even an ounce of suspicion that we might be dangerous, we won't stand a chance."

The other three were silent, different thoughts running through their mind. Poe tried, despite Rey's belief, to come up with a backup plan, just in case that they ran into trouble. It was a big possibility that they would run into trouble, as trouble always seemed to find them. Rose was worried that something like the incident on the First Order Star Destroyer would happen, only much worse, seeing how they were going in there blind. It was a fear that pushed through the mechanic, but she worked on some important things to help keep her mind off of that fear. Finn, in all honesty, agreed with his Jedi friend. There was a strange coalition between them making plans and then those plans going to all heck. So, the First Order defector agreed.

Finally, after another moment of tense silence, BB-8 announced that the planet Earth was approaching. Poe nodded, took the ship off of auto-pilot and directed the clunky ship towards the coordinates that were getting closer and closer. However, there was a major problem that had the four of them staring and gasping in shock. Destroyed First Order ships floated around the planet's atmosphere. Large chunks of the destroyer floated off here or there, but mostly, the ships were intact. As they drew closer, everyone inside the Millennium Falcon saw several bodies floating amongst the debris. It caused a shiver to involuntarily run-down Poe's spine. The pilot glanced over at Finn, who was looking at the scene with a hard expression.

The pilot managed to snap out of his shock before directing the ship forward. They passed the atmosphere and was approaching land. The space port was coming in closer. Poe was preparing for landing, when BB-8 told him that there was an incoming transmission.

 _"Unknown ship, you have no clearance to land. Identify yourself."_

Figuring it was best to give them an alias, Poe gave his response, "My name is Petrich Dominick. I wish to land and refuel."

 _"_ _How many on board?"_

"Including myself and my droid? I'd say six."

 _"Copy that. Landing party has been deployed. Do not divert from your course or raise your shields. If you show any signs of hostility, the landing party will not hesitate to shoot you down. Understood?"_

"Understood, sir."

 _"Standby."_

"I wonder why they have security so beefed up." Rey wondered.

"Probably has something to do with the First Order ships in orbit." Finn suspected in a monotoned voice. Poe couldn't listen to the rest of the conversation as the landing party made its appearance. He was guided to a decently maintained space port, that had very little activity. As the pilot and BB-8 were shutting the ship down, there was a knock on the landing ramp. Poe stood and made his way towards the landing ramp, pressing a button that lowered it. A human male with grey clothes and hair scowled at him.

"Please stay with your ship at all times. If you choose to go to the city, here are your papers." The man handed Poe five official documentation, identifying his group as off-worlders. "And here is the identification for your droid. If you or anyone need help, just show the authorities your papers and they will direct you."

"Thank you, sir." Poe answered. "And don't worry, my group won't cause any trouble."

"See to it that they don't." He turned on his heels and left. Poe felt his face turn into a scowl as he turned back into the ship. Rey was strapping her staff onto her back, while Finn placed a blaster on their belts.

"Everyone ready?" He asked. Everyone nodded in agreement. "Okay then. Let's get going." He took a step forward, only to stop and turn around. "I guess someone needs to stay with the ship."

"I'll stay." Rose volunteered. Finn looked like he wanted to protest, but the mechanic interrupted, "I'm not really skilled at all in fighting. Besides, someone has to make sure our only ride isn't stolen. BB-8 can help me with some repairs."

The droid said something really vulgar but Poe didn't really hear it. He was thinking about the options. Finally, he sighed. "Okay. BB-8, you and Rose stay here and make sure that the ship is safe." BB-8, again, said something really vulgar, which caused Poe to scowl. "What did I say about using that type of language. And I don't want you to cause any trouble. So, you'll help Rose, and if she says you were a big help, then I'll give you an oil bath."

BB-8's top part spun in excitement and agreement. After the five of them synced their communications with each other and a quick estimate of when they would return, Poe, Finn and Rey exited the ship. Rey glanced around the empty hanger with suspicion. She remembered the brief stories that Master Luke Skywalker told her before her official training began. He said that the Parisian Space Port was the busiest space port on Earth. However, from what she could see, the only ship in the port was theirs.

"Come on." Finn ordered gently. The former scavenger smiled softly before following the other two males. When they exited the space port, they were shocked at the primitiveness of the city, but also its beauty. They walked a little further. Many of the people they came into contact with gave them wary looks or wide berths. Poe wondered why they were doing that. He glanced down at his civilian clothing, before glancing at Rey and Finn in theirs. None of the Resistance members wore anything that would point them to the Resistance.

But everyone gave them a wide berth.

"Should we ask for directions?" Finn whispered. Poe nodded and walked up to what he believed was a local.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" The young girl looked up from her device. "Could you point me in the direction of the Jedi Temple of Paris?"

For some reason, the young girl just looked uncomfortable. "Sure. But I'm afraid that you won't be able to get inside. The Grand Master has closed down the Temple, but don't ask me why. Only Jedi can enter it now."

Poe unconsciously glanced over at Rey, who nodded when she caught his eyes. Trying to look a little down, the pilot said to the girl, "That's okay. We're meeting a friend there."

"Oh, okay." The girl placed her device in her pocket and pointed down the street. "When you get to the end of the street, turn left. It shouldn't be hard to miss."

"Thanks." Poe turned away from the girl and turned towards his friends. They nodded and quickly started to walk, using the directions the girl gave them. However, instead of a temple they came to an abandoned building. This made the pilot…. thoroughly confused.

"I mean, it doesn't look like a temple." Finn commented as they approached the building. Poe did the same thing, however, the two males stopped when they realized that Rey wasn't behind them. Instead, she had her head bowed and her eyes closed.

"What is it, Rey?" Poe asked, feeling on edge. "Is there danger?"

"No." The former scavenger whispered. "There's something else, here. This building," she opened her eyes, "there's more to it than meets the eye. I think this is part of the Temple."

"I'm not following." Finn stated slowly. Poe nodded in silent agreement.

"I can't really explain it. I can just sense that this might be part of the temple."

"So, we're going to break into a temple, that is guarded by hundreds of mystic warriors that could kill us with a flick of their wrists?" Finn asked.

"Pretty much." Rey agreed. The First Order defector sighed as he rubbed his forehead, muttering about wondering how he always got stuck on dangerous assignments. The three of them quickly entered the building after that, following Rey as she was the only one that could sense the Force. They were led deeper and deeper into the building, eventually ending up in a cavern of some sort, filled to the brim with bones. Poe gave a little shiver as they continued to walk.

Eventually, the dirty, bone-filled cavern ended and a well-kept and beautifully decorated tunnel began. The three kept their eyes opened, in case there was an ambush waiting for them. At an intersection, Rey stopped. Poe stopped too, though he turned around when he thought he heard someone coming their way. But as he turned his head, he didn't see anyone.

"Any second now, Rey." Poe prompted.

"I can't…." Her eyes snapped open. In a blink of an eye, she had her quarterstaff out in a flash. "There's someone coming!"

Only as soon as those words left her mouth, masked warriors appeared out of nowhere, practically melting out of the shadows. Poe and Fin couldn't draw their weapons fast enough before the warriors pulled their weapons out of their hands and tossing the blasters away. Rey was the only one with her weapon, but an unspoken threat from the supposed leader had her dropping her quarterstaff. The leader removed the mask and hood, revealing a twenty-six-year-old blonde-haired woman with startling blue eyes. Poe felt a little upset that such a young-looking woman ambushed them.

"Hand over your papers and bag." She ordered. The three of them complied, though Rey was a little hesitant to hand over her bag. A thought suddenly occurred to Poe, remembering that Rey placed the broken lightsaber of Luke Skywalker in her bag. The woman suddenly turned towards the pilot with those hard-blue eyes and a scowl. Her eyes darted back to the bag she now held in her hands. "What's the matter, Petrich Dominick? Smuggling something from our temple?"

Poe chose to glare at her. Instead of wilting away in fear, the woman just smirked a little evilly.

"I think we should take them to the Grand Master. Find out, just exactly, why they're here."

Before he could even open his mouth to protest, his sight was plunged into darkness when a bag or sack of some sort was thrown over his eyes. His balance thrown off, Poe allowed himself to have his wrists tied behind his back, and all but dragged forward. The sounds of scuffling next to him had him praying to whatever deity he could think of that Finn and Rey were going quietly. The woman that had captured them had said something about the Grand Master.

Minutes later (or hours, it was really hard to tell when you have a bag over your face), Poe and presumably the other two were forced to kneel. Suddenly, the bag was removed. Even though they appeared to be in a dimly lit cavern, Poe was still thrown off guard by the sudden removal of the bag and shut his eyes until his eyes adjusted. Once they were, the pilot glanced to his left, glad to see that his friends weren't in any worse for wear. When he directed his eyes forward, he saw that he was in front of an old woman with long, stark white hair. The woman's back was to them but she lifted her head when she heard his grunt.

"What is the meaning of this interruption?" The woman demanded.

The younger blonde woman knelt in front of the group, kneeling with her head lowered. "We caught these three in the Catacombs, Master. I believe they were trying to break in and steal something."

Poe swallowed hard when the woman stood and turned. Though old and frail-looking, the woman looked like she could pound them all into the dirt with very little thought. Her wrinkled face that might've been flawless was wrinkled up in a scowl of disgust. The woman's coffee brown eyes scanned them. Using a cane, the woman moved forward until she was right in front of the group. Her eyes landed on Poe, and a moment later, a shriveled hand came out and hovered.

Suddenly, the pilot grunted in pain as the woman tried to Force read his mind. It wasn't a pleasant experience the first time it happened, and, surprisingly, it wasn't a pleasant experience now. His mental shields were stronger now, so only information about him being a Resistance pilot slipped. He sighed in relief when the woman moved on to Finn, and eventually Rey. Rey was the only one of the group that didn't cry out in pain. Probably because she had training. The woman hummed, stroking her chin in thought.

"You are an interesting group, aren't you?" The woman hummed as she started to walk back to her original place. "A pilot for the Galactic Resistance under the tutelage of Leia Organa, a First Order defect, and a scavenger from Jakku. How interesting."

The blonde woman handed the older woman the Rey's bag. Instantly, she pulled out the broken lightsaber of Luke Skywalker. Her face became the epitome of fury as she turned to the group.

"Where did you get this?" She demanded.

"It was given to me by Luke Skywalker himself." Rey answered with a flat tone. She glared at the woman who stared down at her with pure rage.

"Not only did you trespass on sacred ground, you defile it by bringing a weapon used for darkness!"

 _Okay, it's official,_ Poe thought, _this woman is definitely scarier than Kylo Ren._

"Please, we need Madame Moraes's help." Finn stated. "The Resistance is in trouble."

"That is not my problem."

Poe's eyes widened as realization hit him. "You're Madeline Moraes."

"That's Madame Moraes to you rebel." The blonde woman corrected harshly.

"Adeline." Madame Moraes stated softly. "That is enough. Release them, at once."

"But, Master-"

"Do as I say."

The blonde woman, Adeline, bowed her head in submission. "As you wish, Master."

Poe sighed as the restraints around his wrists were broken. He glared at the woman as he rubbed his raw wrists.

"I will give you twenty-four hours, then you must leave." Madame Moraes stated.

"But the Resistance-"

"Can and will succeed without me." The old woman stood on shaky legs, aided by her cane and Adeline. She shrugged the blonde woman off, and stood as straight as she could, glaring down at the three of them. "This planet has seen enough suffering at the hands of the Empire and the First Order, and I will not put these people through any more trouble. Adeline will show you to your rooms. You need to leave at first light."

Poe sighed as he and the others were pulled to their feet and pushed out the door. The walk was very slow and long, and eventually they were all shoved into different rooms. The pilot sighed as he paced the room. The room wasn't anything special. Just a bed, a desk, chair and a separate room with the bathroom. The crème colored wall was unadorned, and it was similar to prison cell, but it looked relatively comfortable.

There wasn't anything Poe could do, except continue to pace. He could plan though. They took his blaster, but they couldn't find his communicator, as he had stuffed it in his boots. Taking his boot off, the pilot overturned it. The slim piece of metal clattered to the floor. Right as he reached for it, it went off. Poe sighed as he answered it.

"Finn? Rey?"

" _I'm here."_ Rey answered.

" _ **Same."**_ Finn's voice same. _**"They separated us."**_

" _Probably for good reason."_ Rey stated. _" They might be afraid that we may turn out to be a part of the First Order."_

"Rey, do you think you could escape and talk to Madame Moraes?" The Jedi was quiet, probably as she started to think of a plan of some sort. Just when he thought that the communications were cut off accidentally, the woman spoke.

" _I think I could technically get out and make my way, but that's only in theory. I've never had to sneak around an actual Jedi Temple filled with Jedi." _

"Okay." Poe muttered. He sighed. "Just be careful. Finn, you just stay in your room."

" _ **Way ahead of you."**_ Finn muttered.

"I'll contact Rose and tell her the plan."

Neither Rose nor BB-8 were too happy about having to keep each other company for another day or so, but with some threats and promises Poe didn't know if he would be able to keep, the two agreed to stay put. Once that was over, Poe decided it would be best to get some sleep. A glance at the chronometer told him it was only three-thirty, but there wasn't anything else to do, unless he wanted to get in trouble with the Grand Master. So, he flopped on his bed. The ceiling was the same unadorned, bland color as the rest of the room, but after a few minutes of staring at it, his eyes started to drift shut. After another ten minutes, Poe Dameron was asleep.

However, something pulled him from his peaceful rest. He rubbed his eyes as he sat up, trying to see through the piercing darkness. The chronometer informed him that it was one minute away from midnight. The room was quiet, and Poe was pretty much a heavy sleeper when he actually got to sleep (aside from quick naps of course), so he had no idea what woke him.

That is, until he saw a figure moving around in the darkness. Slowly, as to not inform the intruder that he was awake and aware of his/her presence, Poe reached for the nearest heaviest object he could find. The pilot had no idea what he grabbed, but it was heavy enough to leave a dent in someone's skull if he swung it hard enough. And believe me, he would. Slowly, the pilot stood up, careful to do as silently as possible. Plans started to form in his mind, and efficiently and quickly as he could, Poe started to go through them.

If he remembered the layout of the room correctly, there was a light switch just a couple of steps away. If he could reach it without his attacker noticing, then he could disorient the intruder long enough to tackle him or her to the ground. It wasn't the best plan and it had its flaws but it was the only thing that he could come up with. Shifting his makeshift weapon in his hand, Poe launched forward. As soon as his hand made contact with wall, and in short, the light switch, the pilot didn't hesitate to flip it on. Poe had his weapon pulled back, ready to swing, only to stop short.

His attacker was a young girl with coffee-brown hair and eyes. She wore Jedi robes and had a braid that fell over her shoulder. The girl looked to be no older than sixteen. Poe and the unknown girl stared at each other, unable to make a move in case the other turned out to be hostile. Finally, the young girl's fearful face dropped and she cocked her hip out, crossed her arms and had a look of complete and utter annoyance.

"You scared the heck out of me!" she shouted.

"Well, you shouldn't have snuck into my room!" Poe shouted back. He dropped his fear and weapon in slight relief that there wasn't an assassin coming to kill him. However, that begged the question: why was this person here? The girl wore clothes that marked her as a Jedi, probably as a Padawan if the braid that fell over her shoulder was any indication of her rank in the Temple. How did she get in here, also? Poe distinctly remembered hearing the lock to the door click when Adeline threw him in here.

"Whatever." The girl said. She strode over to the desk and sat on top of the empty surface. Poe kept studying her closely. "You're Poe Dameron, right?"

The pilot froze and immediately went on the defensive. "How do you know that?"

The girl shrugged as her response. "You're Shara Bey and Kes Dameron's son, aren't you?"

"What's it to you?"

"Look," the girl started, an irritated note in her voice. "A…. relative of mine fought in the Battle of Yavin. And when I talked to him, spoke of your parents. They were really good, especially your mother. And you apparently."

Poe swallowed the sadness and anger that followed the girl's little speech. He knew what she was talking about. His mother told him stories about the Jedi star pilot that came before Luke Skywalker, who managed to help gain an advantage before the Death Star was destroyed. The pilot couldn't remember the name of the man at the moment and it was really starting to bug him. But he wasn't sure why. Maybe he could figure out who the girl was. However, as he looked up, Poe was surprised to see that the girl was gone. The door wasn't even open. He checked the rest of the room but found nothing.

Drowsiness suddenly overtook him. Finally, Poe gave up his search and laid down on his bed, entering a deep sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**I'm posting this a day early because I won't have internet access tomorrow. Hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 5

Rey

On the other side of the Temple…..

Rey smirked as she cautiously peeked outside. She had just managed to free herself from the locked room after a couple of minutes of picking the lock. Her eyes scanned the hallway, making sure it was clear before she left her room. She didn't have her weapons with her. They were confiscated when they were caught. So, she was just going to have to be careful and use stealth. Which wasn't exactly her forte, but she would manage.

She spent at least twenty minutes trying to get the basic layout of the hallway. During that time, Rey found herself in what looked like the archives. It was illuminated by hundreds of glowing blue cubes. The former scavenger felt a sense of peace when she entered the room, enraptured by the soft glow of the cubes. This place was beautiful. As Rey approached a section of the cubes, there was a soft, musical note-like sound. It was like someone was humming a lullaby. She reached up, the song growing stronger and stronger.

A door opening somewhere had Rey retracting her hand. She heard footsteps heading her way, so not taking any chances, the scavenger dove behind a shelf. Her heart was beating fast as the slow, steady footsteps approached. Rey cautiously peaked around the corner and saw Madame Moraes hobbling towards her. The Jedi Grand Master had a sorrowful expression on her face, as if she was thinking about something sad. The elderly woman slowly walked past Rey where she hiding. Interest off the singing cubes, Rey decided to follow the Master, maybe even corner her and force her to listen. With as much stealth as she could muster, Rey followed the old woman closely, careful to stay as far from her as possible, but not too far to lose her. The scavenger froze when the Master stopped in the middle of the hallway.

"I know you're there." Madame Moraes said. Rey tensed, but remained where she was. "Come out, young one. You do not have to hide from me."

Against her will, Rey stepped out of the shadows. Madame Moraes' face when from playfully soft to hard and defensive.

"Oh. It's you." Madame Moraes turned around. "Shouldn't you be locked in your room? Maybe I should've posted two guards."

"Please. Just let me talk to you." Rey pleaded. The Jedi Master was silent before she sighed heavily, shaking her head slowly.

"Fine. But I will only grant you an hour." She stated. "After that, you must return to your rooms."

Rey smiled and quickly followed the hobbling master. She didn't know the proper etiquette when walking with a Grand Master. Was she supposed to walk a couple of paces behind? Or maybe side-by-side? Was that rude? Or disrespectful? Maybe if she just walked an inch or two behind her?

"Your thoughts easily distract you." Madame Moraes' voice cut through her musing. Rey blinked and saw that they were in front of an open door. The white-haired woman was gesturing for the scavenger to enter with her cane. Rey felt slightly embarrassed as she entered the room. It was a simple room, in layout and décor. There wasn't much, except a desk, a cot, a nightstand and a closet, which was probably filled with robe dresses. The desk was littered with holopads, and strange things. They looked like holopics but looked more solid. Most of them had three people. A woman with gold-and-silverish hair, and two teenagers, a boy and a girl both with coffee brown hair and eyes.

"Those are pictures of me, my brother and my master." Madame Moraes answered Rey's unspoken question. The old master gestured to the meditation mats that were in the middle of the floor. Rey bowed her head as she complied. Though she seemed old, Madame Moraes slid into the cross-legged position gracefully. "So. Care to tell me why three members of the Resistance are so far from the main fleet?"

"We came to ask you for help." Rey stated. The woman scoffed.

"Is that all?" Madame Moraes let loose a dry laugh. "If that was all to it, then General Organa should've just sent me a transmission. It would save on fuel."

Rey watched the woman pour some strange warm liquid into a small cup. "General Organa said that you've been ignoring all her transmissions."

"And there's a reason for that." The Grand Master handed her a cup. "For all her smarts and expertise, Leia cannot seem to take a hint."

"But you have to help!"

"No, I don't!" Madame shouted back. She sighed. "There was a time when I would've jumped at the chance to fight, to help those who couldn't help themselves. It was the principle I was raised on. But, then I became a Grand Master and had to think about others. When the Empire fell, I thought it would be better to remain neutral, because I didn't want to be a puppet of a government like the Order was during the Clone Wars."

Rey was silent as she sipped her drink. It was good and calming, relaxing her really tense muscles. The Grand Master made a good argument. However, it seemed that she wasn't finished.

"Over the course of my life, I have seen such death and bloodshed, lost so many friends." Rey's eyes drifted over to the picture of a younger Madeline Moraes with her brother. Madeline's brother had her in a headlock, but their smiles were large and goofy. It looked like they were holding back barks of laughter.

"You two must've been close." Rey commented quietly. There was a small smile on Madame Moraes' face, as if she was remembering something sad.

"We were." She whispered. "Of course, we had different ways of doing things, especially in battle. But, you couldn't find any siblings as close as we were."

"What happened to him?"

Madeline's smile vanished. "After we managed to drive the Empire from Paris, he went to go fight while I stayed here to look after the Temple. He died in the Battle of Yavin, by crashing his fighter into a Star Destroyer. My master perished during the Battle of Paris, leaving me all alone to guide the Jedi into its most important chapter."

"I understand about being alone." Rey's eyes drifted to the cup in her hand. "I was abandoned on Jakku, by my parents. I spent many years on that dust ball, waiting for somebody who would never return."

"I saw that in you." Madame Moraes stated. "You also have…feelings for the one known as Kylo Ren."

The scavenger continued to keep her eyes lowered. "Did you know him?"

Rey's eyes drifted back up and saw the old Jedi had a sad light. She sighed. "I knew him when he went by the name of Ben Solo. A powerful apprentice, even for a child of his age. I trained him under the instruction of Luke Skywalker, taught him the meaning of true balance. But, it was all for naught."

"The Massacre."

"Yes. Luke Skywalker pushed Ben Solo to the Dark Side because he feared the power that his nephwe possessed. Many of my apprentices were killed in the massacre." Madame Moraes stood and made her way over to the window. "I still remember that night, the pain, the anguish, and anger that radiated through the Force. It was so similar to the Jedi Massacre started by his Grandfather…"

The Jedi Master trailed off, the sadness in her sentence weighing in the room like an anvil. Rey was quiet. She remembered the vision she had when she first touched Master Skywalker's weapon. The emotion in that blade was overpowering, making it a very uncomfortable first experience with the Force. Madame Moraes turned towards the young woman, her light brown eyes scanning Rey.

"Since you possess limited knowledge of training, and when you face Kylo Ren, you must be prepared." Madame Moraes looked like she was struggling with a decision as she spoke slowly and deliberately. "Tomorrow at dawn, meet me in the training room. Be prepared for your skills to be tested. I want to see how much Luke Skywalker taught you. Now, return to your room. It is late."

Rey bowed her head before she retraced her steps, all the way back to her room. She managed to get a hold of Poe and Finn before she went to sleep and tell them of the plan. Finn promised to relay the plan to Rose. When Rey finally laid down on her bed, she couldn't help but think how different her life would've been if she had been found and taught by the Jedi. That was all she could think about before she fell asleep.

 _She dreamed. She dreamed of a different time. A time when peace reigned and everyone prospered. There were warriors who kept the peace and she was one of them. A grand master, an overseer of thousands of warriors. Warriors of different species of different ages filled the ancient-looking Templet that was ripe with the Force. It flowed through the place like a river, pushing and pulling. It had a steady rhythm, like a heartbeat that pulsed with the thousands of species that held a power._

Only when the dream shifted did she wake up to find that it was dawn. The scavenger sat up, rubbing her forehead as she tried to make sense of the dream. It was one that she would have over and over but it had been more and more constant since she touched the lightsaber. She froze before she dashed out towards the room. Most of the Temple was up, crowding the hallways. Those she passed gave her strange looks as she raced down the hallway, asking for directions to the training room. They pointed her in the general direction, and Rey ran as fast as she could.

Madame Moraes was already there, mediating, when Rey entered.

"You should really work on being on time." The old woman said, with her eyes still closed.

"Sorry." Rey apologized. "Master Skywalker didn't really care about being on time."

"Hm. Master Skywalker was, by no means, a true Jedi master. He only knew the basics of teaching, which was why he failed and Ben Solo became Kylo Ren."

"He can be brought back to the Light." Rey stated. "There's conflict in him. I know it."

Madame Moraes narrowed her eyes. "Be careful that the hope does not blind you to what must do."

The Master stood up as did Rey. The scavenger watched Madame Moraes grab two lightsabers from the wall, one which she tossed to Rey. She caught it easily, before examining it closely. It was a typical lightsaber, one with a silver hilt and leather grip. From inside, the scavenger felt the Kyber Crystal ping back force energy like a sonar.

"Let us see how much you've learned from Master Skywalker."

Rey glanced up to see Madame Moraes ignite her saber. A blue blade appeared, a soft hum emanating from the blade. Rey ignited hers and was surprised to see an emerald green blade appear. She shook her head before getting into a fighting stance. Madame Moraes did the same, though it wasn't like any stance Rey ever saw. The old Master stood straight and sideways, her free had behind her back, while her saber was pointed downwards. Rey, on the other hand, had her arms coiled, her saber to her face. The two stared at each other, eyes narrowed. Madame Moraes shifted her footing, which caused Rey to tense as well.

The scavenger was the first to charge. She went for a full-out attack on the old Master, not holding back, even though she should've gone easy. But to Rey's surprise, Madame Moraes was very agile for someone in her seventies. And quick. It took all of Rey's concentration to keep track of the master's moves. Their blades locked, and the scavenger's arms quivered underneath the blow. When they separated, Madame Moraes used the Force to push Rey back. The dark-haired woman slid on her knees until she stopped, swinging her blade until launching herself back into the battle.

"I must admit," Madame Moraes breathed when they locked blades again, "you are very skilled for someone who has had no training."

"I learn quickly." Rey spat back before giving a battle cry. She made a pushing motion, and to her surprise, Madame Moraes went flying. The Jedi master hit the wall with a grunt.

Rey paused as she watched the Jedi master sat up with a groan. And when she opened her eyes, there was fear, and then anger. "It's you…. you should've never came here."

"What are you talking about?"

"There is a Jedi proverb," Madame Moraes informed, while reigniting her saber. "'When darkness rises, light rises to meet it.' Ben Solo is the personification of the Dark Side, as was his grandfather. Luke Skywalker was the personification of the Light Side, as are you."

"I still don't understand." Rey grunted. Madame Moraes switched her lightsaber off.

"Anakin Skywalker was a powerful Jedi, sired by the very Force." The woman informed her as she hobbled towards the window. "We are but servants of the Force. We bow to its will, and let it guide us to where it wishes. The Jedi and the Sith merely manipulate the Force, not control it."

"So, the Force is sentient?"

"In a way. As the Jedi and the Sith quarrel endlessly, the Force seeks to restore the balance of Light and Dark." Madame Moraes sighed. "Anakin Skywalker was sired to be a counterweight against Palpatine's dark power. But he was too weak, as he fell to the Dark Side of the Force. And so, the Force continues to try to finds balance with powerful light and powerful darkness."

Rey was quiet. She had learned so much in the past few minutes. But, the scavenger couldn't get over what the Jedi master had told her.

 _Be careful that the hope does not blind you to what must do._

"I can't kill Ben Solo." She muttered. "There's good in him."

"You cannot redeem him, Rey! What you sense in him, is nothing more than your own feelings and hope. Ben Solo is too far gone under the control of Snoke to be saved."

"MASTER!" A blonde woman appeared suddenly. She was breathing heavily, as if she had run all the way to the dojo.

"Adeline." Madame Moraes greeted. Her coffee brown eyes scanned the woman's disheveled state, and immediately was on alert. "What is it?"

The woman, Adeline, took a moment to collect herself before speaking, "Our scouts and scanners have picked up a large ship heading this way. Master, it's the First Order."

Rey gasped in shock, while the Grand Master closed her eyes in concentration. But the Master only had her eyes closed for a second before they opened. Her brow furrowed as she glanced up.

"Rey, you and your friends need to leave. If Kylo Ren finds you here, he will not be merciful to the city."

"Allow me to help. Please!"

"No. When you are a Grand Master, you must think of the people." Madame Moraes opened Rey's clenched hand and placed a cube in her hand. It was like the cubes in the library. "Take this. It will help you with your training."

"What about you, Madame?" Rey asked.

"I will stay here and help to defend the city." Rey hesitated another moment, before Madame Moraes pushed her out. "Go! Don't worry about me."

Rey hesitated before bolting out the door. The Temple proper was in chaos. Many of the older members seemed to be directing the younger ones to a certain place in the temple. Like before, Rey was going against the flow of the foot traffic. She had to fight through the panicking crowds of younglings, Padawans, Knights and masters to get to Poe's and Finn's room. They were confused by all the chaos that as going on, but when Rey quickly explained what was happening, they agreed that they needed to go. Especially when they were told that Kylo Ren was coming.

"But what about Madame Moraes?" Finn asked as they ran down the street towards the space port. Rey stopped at the entrance of the port, glancing back over towards the direction of the Temple.

"She'll be fine. I hope." She muttered the last part, unsure if she believed her own words. Rose informed them that a First Order Star Destroyer was in the atmosphere. The others decided to not comment, as they were too busy powering up the Millennium Falcon. It was a tense thirty minutes, as the ship passed through the atmosphere, navigating the debris field and getting passed the Star Destroyer that just entering Earth's atmosphere.

Once they had managed to shoot off into hyperspace, Rey took the time to examine the cube given to her by the Grand Master inside her quarters. She concentrated hard and felt something tug at her waist. When she focused even more on the tug, it increased. She took a peek, her eyes widening largely at the sight. The cube's edges had separated, a light blue glow emanating from the center of the cube. A young woman in elegant, but simple robes appeared, her hair pulled back in a tight bun. She smiled softly at an unseen audience, though there was a weight to that smile.

"Greetings, young one." The woman greeted. "This is the first official record of the New Jedi Order of Paris. I am Madeline Evelynn Moraes, Grand Master of this beautiful temple. This record includes a list of sacred Jedi ruins and artifacts that were hidden throughout the galaxy many millennia ago. My former master was a scholar who sought answers regarding the history of the Jedi. Those records and notes are included in this holocron. I hope that your curiosity can be satisfied with this list. May the Force be with you."

 _"Rey, we're almost to the nearest Republic outpost to refuel."_ Finn's voice informed over the

"I'll….be there in a second, Finn." Rey placed the cube on her cot before she exited her room and made her way to the bridge. Even though Madame Moraes hadn't come with them, Rey finally felt that Resistance had more hope than ever before.

The only question to remain: would Rey be willing and able to do what it takes when it came down to the final battle?


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Madeline Moraes

Moments after Rey left…..

"Adeline," the blonde woman turned towards her master. "I need you to help evacuate the temple. Use any and all available shuttles and ships you can get your hands on and head to the nearest Jedi Temple. Inform the mayor of what's coming, as well. Get the militia to evacuate the city. I don't want anyone left when the First Order lands."

"Yes Master."

"I also want the all of the holocrons in the Archives taken with you." Madeline sighed. "We cannot let the knowledge in that room fall into the hands of the First Order."

"Of course." Adeline started to walk towards the main hanger but stopped when she realized Madeline wasn't following her. "Aren't you coming, Master?"

"I am going to stay behind and give you enough time to get the city and the Temple evacuated."

"But Master, you'll be destroyed!"

"If that is my destiny, then so be it." Madeline placed a hand on her former Padawan's shoulder. "I have made many mistakes in my life. It is time that I face them."

Tears were falling down Adeline's face. "Master, I just can't leave you."

"Adeline, you are the only I trust to lead the Jedi Order into its new age of prosperity. I am the only thing keeping that from happening."

"No, you're not, Master."

Time was running out but Madeline kept talking. "I am the last remaining member of the Old Republic Jedi, an outdated and weak philosophy. It's time for the Old Jedi to finally die, and a new generation to begin. You must lead that new generation. Adeline, you have been an excellent apprentice. I failed your family too much to be forgiven, but this I can make right. Remember your training, and know that no matter what happens to me, I will always be watching over you."

Adeline was silent before embracing the woman. The blonde woman didn't want to leave the closest thing to a second mother she had but the old woman wasn't giving her any choice.

"Now go." Madeline ordered, breaking the hug. "You still need to clear out the Archives."

Adeline bowed to her master before darting out to the hallway. Luckily, three other Jedi masters and two knights were just running by. Adeline Agreste called them and ordered them to assist her to get the holocrons to the hanger. The young woman started to follow the others, only to stop and glance behind her. Her old master was smiling softly, her dull yet focused coffee brown eyes were shining with pride.

Knowing this may be the last time Adeline might see the woman in this life, she whispered, "May the Force be with you, Madame Moraes."

"And May the Force be with you, Adeline. Always." Madeline's reply was lost as the last of the Jedi apprentices left the Temple. Thirty minutes later, Madeline received a city-wide evacuation order from the Mayor. She sighed in slight relief. The First Order will not get the chance to repeat the Battle of the Paris. Madeline walked through the empty halls of the Temple. Her first destination was the empty Archives. The once softly lit room was now dark as a tomb. Madeline examined the place, making sure that it was truly cleaned out before leaving.

It had been the first time since Madeline rebuilt the Order on Earth that the Temple had been eerily quiet. She remembered the days following the ceremony announcing her as the Grand Master, when she locked herself in the Temple Archives during an intense study session on the Temple's history. There was a large blank in the Archives, right after Madame Cammi's visit with the main Jedi Council on Tython. Madeline suspected that was when the natives of Paris at the time raided the temple.

The first few years of her being Grand Master was the loneliest time of her life. Her brother was busy with the Rebellion, her other friends living their lives and Master Selma was buried. As far as Madeline knew, she was the only remaining Jedi on Earth, being pulled in all different directions, to speak at conferences all over the world and to see if the claims of children being Force sensitive were true. Madeline stared out the window of the upper levels, watching the First Order troops march through the empty streets of Paris. Her eyes glanced towards the skyline, where the last of the shuttles disappeared into the rising sun.

Madeline turned, and headed deeper into the Temple. With all of the security she placed on the outside and at the entrance of the temple after the EARTHLINGS bombed it a year after the massacre on Yavin, it would take the invaders a while to get inside the Temple. So, the elder master hobbled down the lower levels of the Temple. Very few members used the foyer that was a part of the original 1880 design. Madeline only went down there when she needed a moment to herself, away from all the chaos of running a temple.

She sat in the middle of the foyer, in a meditative position. Her cane was placed at her side, while her lightsaber was placed in her lap. Madeline closed her eyes, and took a deep breath, preparing herself for what was to come. There was no way that she would survive this encounter. It was just like she told Adeline. The New Jedi Order needed new leadership if it was to survive this war, a different way of thinking. Madeline was the only remaining member of the Old Jedi Order, the Order whose ideals were corrupted and whose belief were outdated. Too many Jedi had lost their lives fighting for an evil they had been sworn to destroy, blind and deaf to what the Force was trying to show them.

The temple shook, dust raining down on her. But Madeline's serene expression remained the same. The Temple shook again, causing another veil of dust to fall on Madeline. Her heart was beating fast, as she remembered the Battle of Paris, when the Empire was raining holy hell upon the city while the civilians were trapped in the foyer. Though, the Grand Master recognized the booms from above as the traps set at the entrance of the Temple. No doubt Kylo Ren ordered several of his troops to go first as cannon fodder. As the moment of silence stretched on, Madeline opened her eyes and glanced at the ceiling. She furrowed her brow when she sensed the troops moving through the Temple, desecrating the sacred space with their thirst for blood. She smirked. The first place Kylo would search would be the Archives, to liberate the ancient knowledge stored there.

Good thing that it had been cleared out.

Madeline felt the anger pierce through the Force. She sighed before closing her eyes again. Sooner or later, the boy would sense her down where she was. Might as well prepare for battle. She mentally recited the Code of the Bendis, the Grey Jedi. However, she didn't get very far as the sounds of marching reached her ears. She kept her eyes closed as the First Order stormtroopers surrounded her, their weapons trained on her. Her serene expression remained neutral even when slow, deliberate footsteps echoed through the empty cavern, stopping a few feet in front of her.

"I was wondering when you would return. Though, I didn't foresee the exact reason why." Madeline opened her eyes and was greeted by quite a sight. At least a dozen stormtroopers had surrounded her, leaving no way for her to escape (not that she was planning on it). In front of her, stood her old apprentice, Ben Solo. He was dressed in black, his hair longer, and he had a dark look in his eyes. There was a scar that ran down his face, most likely from a lightsaber. Whether his 'beloved master' did that as punishment for his failure, or he got when he battled Rey, which happened a couple times from the reports she received from Leia, she wouldn't know. "It's good to see you, Young Solo."

"That's not my name."

"It was the name given to you by your parents."

"They don't have any meaning to me anymore."

Madeline gave a dry scoff. "Obviously. Since you murdered your father and tried to incinerate your mother."

"It needed to be done, if I was to fully become a true Sith." Ben stated it with such a flat tone that it sent Madeline over the edge.

"What happened to you? After all I taught you, all I did for you?" Madeline stood, the stormtroopers' blasters following her every move. "It sickens me to see how far you've fallen Ben. You were a promising pupil."

"I've heard enough." He gestured to the First Order troopers. There was the sound of many blasters cocking simultaneously. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Madeline reached out with the Force. What she was about to try was risky, a trick that she hadn't quite practiced. Time seemed to slow down. Every sound seemed to be amplified. Her breathing, her heart beat, even the mechanisms of the blasters surrounding her seemed infinitely louder.

Then, the moment of truth came. The stormtroopers opened fire. Reaching down into the Force and calling on some supernatural help, Madeline felt the edges of her dress fan out as the blaster bolts were stopped in midair. While Kylo Ren and his soldiers stared in shock, Madeline grunted. Her hair flowed upward as she shoved the blaster bolts away from her. Most of them hit the stormtroopers in the chest, but others grazed them or knocked them out, leaving only Kylo Ren and her standing.

"Now that your…entourage is taken care of, we can finally talk."

"There is nothing to talk about."

"No?" Madeline turned her eyes to the downed stormtroopers. "You have forsaken the teaching of the Jedi and have betrayed the very ideals that you were raised on."

"The Jedi are weak. It's time for them to die." He snapped his fingers. Suddenly, two stormtroopers had her, restraining her arms behind her back.

"You can kill me, but you'll never destroy me. It takes power to resist the Dark Side. Only the weak embrace it."

"But it is power." Kylo Ren stated. Madeline scowled as the younger man grabbed her chin and forced her to look straight into his eyes. The old master saw an opportunity and took it. The young man wretched his hand away as her teeth made to bite him. "Such power can't be understood by the Jedi. As the hypocrites they are, they fear any power greater than their own. The Dark Side is more powerful than you could ever dream of."

"And those who oppose it are more powerful than you'll ever be!" With that, Madeline broke free from those who held her, knocking them out. She reached for her lightsaber with the Force, igniting it once the hilt touched the palm of her hand and leaping into a duel. Her blade met Kylo, and even though he kept his face neutral, Madeline could see him struggling. It would be such irony that he never battled a real master, just some untrained apprentice.

"You know," Madeline whispered while they kept their lightsabers locked. "It appears you weren't as skilled as you think you are, seeing how a barely trained warrior managed to defeat you.

"AAAAAHHHH!" Kylo's roar was primordial, guttural. Like an animal, Kylo Ren pushed and pushed against her. But Madeline didn't back down. Whatever ground she lost in the fight, she quickly regained it. Eventually, the two were incorporating their Force abilities. And Madeline soon learned that what her former apprentice lacked in skills with a blade, he more than made up for it in Force abilities. The old master, in all her power and knowledge, had trouble keeping up with the younger man. Her stamina, while amazing, was still short because of her age. Pretty soon, Madeline was having trouble keeping up with the younger man's attacks. She switched from offensive to defensive in a matter of minutes.

In one final hurrah, Madeline rushed the boy. She remembered to drag her saber along the ground, creating sparks which she flung into the boy's eye. He cried out as Madeline leapt over him and made a break for the door. However, she only got three steps before she stopped suddenly. Pain bloomed through her body, her breathing turning ragged and difficult. She glanced down, only to whimper slightly at the sight of the red-bladed lightsaber piercing her body. Madeline's legs gave out and she fell to the ground. The Master inhaled sharply as the blade was suddenly removed. Darkness was on the edge of her vision. In a matter of minutes, she would be dead.

But, she had one more thing to do.

With great difficulty, Madeline stood and turned around, clutching the wound. Kylo was watching her with a sickening curiosity. When Madeline blinked, for a moment, she saw young Ben Solo, staring at her from the other side of the training room with nervous anticipation. Her breathing was now all too loud in her ears, and her brain was struggling to stay active.

"Ben…." She rasped. "I'm…. sorry I f-failed you. I…. I d-d-on't blame you. I hope…. you can…. free yourself…and forgive your mother. She was only…. doing…what was…"

She didn't finish her sentence as she finally collapsed on the ground. It hurt to breath to the point where it didn't seem worth it. Through her darkening vision, Grand Master Madame Moraes of the Jedi Temple of Paris saw Kylo Ren stand over her soon-to-be dead body. Her brain was slowly turning off, but she could've sworn she saw regret in his eyes. But that was a fleeting thought as her eyes closed and there was no more pain…

-Epilogue-

She didn't know how long her eyes were closed before she someone started to shake her shoulder.

"Mads!" The voice hissed. "Wake up! We're going to be late!"

Madeline's brain was barely working enough to process the words, _Late? Late for what? Do I have a meeting with the mayor that I forgot about? And since when did the young ones start calling me 'Mads'? No one calls me that anymore._

"Madeline, I swear if you don't wake up, I'll give you a wet-willy."

The childish threat seemed to spur Madeline to try to open her eyes. She fought through the darkness, wincing when she finally opened them in the blinding light of the room. She slowly sat up, confused about where she was. Madeline glanced around, vaguely aware that the wound she received in fighting Kylo Ren wasn't hurting anymore. The now-young girl turned her head, her breath taken away at the sight.

There in front of her was her brother, Michael. He looked like he did when she last saw him: slightly dirty, but very loud orange flight suit, with his lightsaber and blaster clipped on his belt. He was talking to Master Selma Turon, and Mace Windu, both looking like they did when she last saw them.

Curiosity spurred her even more to look down. She was young again, all the wrinkles that she received had vanished. But she was still wearing her robed dress that marked her as the Grand Master. The curiosity spread further as she grabbed a bunch of hair and pulled it forward to where she could see it.

Coffee brown.

Then, it occurred to her that she could feel no heartbeat, no pulse. Her hands, while retaining some semblance of color, were tinted light blue. While she was having a little freak out about the prospect of being dead, a comforting hand landed on hers. Madeline jerked up to see Michael smiling at her. Tears fell from her eyes as she launched herself into a hug at the boy. Oh, how she missed that goofy smile.

"Okay, Mads." Michael rasped. "Can't…breath!"

"Oh! Sorry." Madeline chuckled. She placed her hands down by her side. "I've missed you, Michael."

"You have done well, my apprentice." Master Windu's voice congratulated. Madeline, with tears still running down her eyes, bowed her head in recognizing.

"Thank you Master."

"I think we should get going." Master Selma proposed. Madeline cocked her head.

"Where are we going?"

Beside her, Michael chuckled. "You'll see."

And together, the four spirits disappeared, entering the cosmic force as one.


End file.
